Bidspirit auction | Sefer Ner Yisrael by the

Sefer Ner Yisrael by the Maggid of Kozhnitz – First edition – Lemberg, early 1840s – a segulah for protection! Printed with a leaf of chiddushim of the “Yehudi HaKadosh” of Peshischa on the chapter “HaMafkid.” Sefer Ner Yisrael, by the Maggid of Kozhnitz, a “wondrous commentary of Torah innovations and exalted secrets” on Sefer Likkutei Rav Hai Gaon – deep and awesome secrets on the Name of 42. On the title page is printed: “Vilna” [Lemberg? c. 1842–1852]. First edition of the commentary Ner Yisrael. The book was printed between the years 1842–1852 (on the title page is mentioned the author’s book Avodat Yisrael, first printed in 1842. Also, at the beginning of the first page is mentioned the name of the holy Rabbi Nechemia of Bykhov, “Neiro Yair” son of the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa, who passed away in Tishrei 1852, which proves that the book was printed in those years). In the present book are printed two works that had been printed earlier in Warsaw (1798) with the encouragement of the Maggid of Kozhnitz: Likkutei Rav Hai Gaon, by Rabbi Moshe of Burgos (one of the great Kabbalists of Spain in the 12th century), and Shaar HaShamayim, attributed to Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla (but in truth the second part of the work Sefer HaIyun by Rav Chamai Gaon). In this edition was added for the first time, the deep commentary Ner Yisrael, by the Maggid of Kozhnitz. Also, printed here for the first time are “Chen Klalim” in the wisdom of Kabbalah, by the Maggid of Kozhnitz. The works of the Maggid of Kozhnitz deal with explaining the Kabbalah of the Geonim and the Kabbalah of Rabbi Yisrael Sarug, interwoven with the writings of the Ari and the foundations of Chassidut, written concisely and in allusions, and they are difficult to understand and profound. The Divrei Chaim of Sanz wrote in his approbation to the book Avodat Yisrael by the Maggid of Kozhnitz: “In my opinion, there is no one in our generation who attains his wisdom.” The holy Rabbi Elimelech of Grodzisk writes about the writings of the Maggid of Kozhnitz: “All his holy words are sealed, and not every mind can bear to understand even a little of his holy words, which are alluded to in the most exalted of secrets upon secrets.” The Mekubal Rabbi Amram Ofman Shlita wrote a series of works to explain these writings; in his introduction to his commentary Petilat HaNer (commentary on Ner Yisrael), he writes that the book before us is “a segulah for protection, as it is known that the Name of 42 is effective for protection.” At the end of the book was added a copy from a manuscript of the Baal Shem Tov, containing an order for consecrating a new cemetery (“if there is need to add to the cemetery”), as well as “Likkutim from Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, ” consisting of 130 sections. Variant: On the page after the title page were printed innovations of the “Yehudi HaKadosh” of Peshischa on the chapter “HaMafkid.” This leaf was bound only in some copies. Before the innovations, the publisher printed an interesting preface:  אמר המביא לביהד”פ הן הובא לפני בפקודת הרב המאוה”ג החסיד המפורסם מו' נחמיה נ”י [מביחאווה] מעט מזעיר מחידושי גפ”ת מאביו הגאון הקדוש החריף בנגלה ובנסתר מו' יעקב יצחק זצ”ל הנקרא יהודי מפשיסחוב, ונראה כי אחד מתלמידי'[ו] כתבם על הלוח, וע”כ הדברים מעורבים קצת, וגם יש בהם חסרון תיב[ו]ת, ויגעתי להעתיקם על הסדר... ובאמת כי מהראוי הי' שלא להדפיסם כלל כי לא לתפארת אדם הגדול הוא במעט קט חידושי' הללו. אך למען כי הי' רצון בנו הרב הנ”ל, וגם אמרתי להראות את רבני זמנינו מחברי ספרים אשר ידמו בנפשם כי להם לבדם מו”מ של הלכה, ובזאת מתנשאים על חסידי וצדיקי הזמן, ע”כ הצגתי להם עלה לדוגמא מהחסיד הצדיק הנ”ל, והחלק יעיד על הכלל. ומי בין רבני זמנינו זה יפלפל בהלכה כאיש יהודי הלזה זללה”ה וזי”ע Signature on the title page: ”הק' יהודא [בהר”ד ?]... ” [2], 24 leaves. 25 cm. Condition good–fair. Tears and wormholes on the title page, restored. Minor wormholes on the margins of most leaves. Stains of dampness. New binding.