Likutei Yosef - With the Letter of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli - Lviv, ca. 1820 - One of the First Editions of the ...

Likutei Yosef - With the Letter of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli - Lviv, ca. 1820 - One of the First Editions of the "Segulah" Letter, Customarily Recited on Erev Pesach

Three books bound together, ethics and kabbalah books printed in Zhovkva and Lviv, ca. 1780-1820:
1. Shaarei HaKedusha, guidance in attaining Divine Inspiration, by R. Chaim Vital, with selections by R. Shimshon of Ostropoli (Ostropol). Zhovkva, 1780. First edition of these selections by R. Shimshon of Ostropoli.
2. Likutei Yosef, abridgement of R. Elazar Azkari's Sefer Charedim, by R. Yosef of Zborov. [Lviv, ca. 1790-1820?]. Only edition, published after the passing of the author "the outstanding rabbi, the G-d fearing and pious R. Yosef" - as the publisher states on the title page.
The famous letter from the kabbalist R. Shimshon of Ostropoli is printed at the end of the book. The letter explains the kabbalistic topics of Redemption and the Ten Plagues. The letter is printed under the following heading: "This letter was found in the booklet of the G-dly kabbalist R. Shimshon of Ostropoli". The letter contains a commentary to an impenetrable essay by the Arizal discussing the names of the angels assigned to smite the Egyptians during the Ten Plagues, and who are responsible for the Future Redemption of the Jewish people.
The colophon at the end of the letter states: "And he also informed me of this secret, that whoever studies this wonderful and awesome topic properly, even once a year, especially on Erev Pesach, is guaranteed that entire year to be spared from any obstacle, unusual death or constraint, and his enemies will not dominate him, and all his opponents will fall before him, and he will succeed in all his endeavors".
3. Avkat Rochel, on reward, retribution and the World to Come, by Rabbenu Machir (a teacher of Rashi). Lviv, [after 1792].
Shaarei HaKedusha: 42 leaves. Likutei Yosef: [16] leaves. Avkat Rochel: [29] leaves. Lacking final leaf of Avkat Rochel. 14 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Tears to several leaves. Without binding.
The year of printing of Likutei Yosef is uncertain. In Beit Eked Sefarim (vol. II, p. 512, Lamed, no. 594), Friedberg writes that it was printed in 1790, while R. M. Wunder in Encyclopedia LeChachmei Galicia (III, p. 235) maintains that it was printed ca. 1820.
The letter of R. Shimshon of Ostropoli was transmitted for many years through manuscript copyings, and only in the second half of the 18th century, it appeared in print in various books. From then on, it has been printed in many editions of Passover Haggadot and machzorim for Pesach. This is one of the early editions of the letter.

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Reading this holy letter on Erev Pesach is reputed as an exceptional segulah for protection, as stated explicitly at the end of the letter. Chassidim and pious men customarily recite this letter on Erev Pesach. It is recorded in the customs of the Beit El yeshiva for kabbalists, printed at the beginning of the book Divrei Shalom (Jerusalem, 1883, section 50), that "on Erev Pesach, each person arranges the Seder plate in his home before Mincha, and then comes to the synagogue where everyone individually studies the letter of R. Shimshon of Ostropoli". The following is related about R. Chaim Palachi: "On Erev Pesach, he would call his grandsons to read with them the letter of R. Shimshon of Ostropoli" (Tzavaa MeChaim, II, section 28). Rebbe Yochanan Sofer of Erloi would describe the special powers of this letter, attributing his miraculous survival of the Holocaust to its recital. The following wondrous account is quoted in his name in a footnote to the Chatam Sofer Haggadah (Jerusalem, 1992, p. 25): His grandfather, R. Shimon Sofer - author of Hitorerut Teshuva, was particular to recite this letter every Erev Pesach after noon. On Erev Pesach 1944, however, he was so preoccupied due to the German invasion of Hungary, that he forgot to read the letter. That year, R. Shimon Sofer was murdered on 21st Sivan 1944. R. Yochanan relates that he himself also forgot to read the letter on Erev Pesach that year, yet remembered on Rosh Hashanah 1944 and read the letter then. In that merit, he was saved from the Nazis and was granted longevity.