Bidspirit auction | Birchas Dovid on the Torah,

Birchas Dovid on the Torah, by the holy Rabbi Avraham Dovid of Butchatch. Lemberg, [1845]. First edition, rare. Birchas Dovid on the Five Books of the Torah, chassidic explanations on the Book of Bereshit, by the holy Gaon, the 'Eshl Avraham' of Butchatch. Lemberg, with a falsified title-page date: 1805 [!]. First and rare edition. [2], 182 leaves. Mostly bluish paper. With the stamp of the synagogue of the Admor of Vizhnitz in the holy city of Safed. At the end of the Sefer are Chiddushim on Tractate Pesachim. The true year of printing, 1845, is hinted at in the highlighted words in the colophon at the end of the Sefer. The title page contains contradictory dates: 1805 and 1800, and lists the printer as Jides Rosanes — all falsified details, as was common in chassidic Sefarim printed there in that era, due to censorship restrictions and persecutions against chassidim. See: Avraham Yaari, “Beit Defusah Shel HaRabanit Yehudit Rozanish B'Lviv” (in Kiryat Sefer, vol. 17 (1940), pp. 95–108). The holy Gaon Rabbeinu Avraham Dovid Worman, Av Beis Din of Butchatch (1771–1840) — son-in-law of the holy Gaon Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kara, Av Beis Din of Butchatch, author of She’elot U’Teshuvot Neta Sha’ashuim. In 1791, at the age of twenty, he became Av Beis Din of Yazlovitz. In 1814, after the passing of his father-in-law, he began serving as Av Beis Din of Butchatch, by which name he became known for generations as “the Rabbi of Butchatch.” Rabbeinu was a great and prolific scholar, writing profound Chiddushim in Halachah and Aggadah in all areas of Torah throughout his life. Only part of his writings were printed. His most renowned Halachic works are Da’at Kedoshim (three parts) on Yoreh De’ah; Eshl Avraham on Orach Chaim; Ezer HaMikuddash on Even HaEzer; and Kesef HaKedashim on Choshen Mishpat — all foundational Sefarim that have remained on the tables of Ba’alei Hora’ah for generations. Parts of them were incorporated into printed editions of the Shulchan Aruch. His early exposure to Chassidut came in his youth when he received Torah from the holy Tzemach Hashem LeTzvi and the holy Be’er Mayim Chayim. During his period in Yazlovitz, he attached himself to the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and the holy Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov, absorbing their teachings; many teachings that he received from them are cited in his Sefarim. The great figures of his generation praised his exalted genius and holiness. The holy Gaon Rabbi Aryeh Yehuda Leib of Ożarów wrote of him (in a responsum to a colleague who wished to dispute Rabbeinu’s ruling in Hilchot Treifot): “All the Gaonim and great men of the generation, such as the Gaon of Lissa, author of Chavot Da’at, and the Gaon of Lviv, author of Yeshuot Yaakov, would humble themselves before him and honor him greatly… He was known as a great Gaon and a holy man in his generation; therefore, it is proper to rely on him simply and without doubt and to permit.” The Chavot Da’at of Lissa wrote of him when he was eighteen: “Expert in all of Shas.” It is told that the holy Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, upon passing through Yazlovitz, said: “The holiness of the righteous Rabbi Avraham Dovid is sensed in the streets of the city.” And when they told the holy Gaon of Shinova that Rabbeinu at times ruled in Halachah against the opinions of Rishonim, he replied: “He is permitted, for of him one can say: Rav Tanna Hu U’Palig.” Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathanson, author of Sho’el U’Meishiv, wrote of him in his approbation to Da’at Kedoshim: “The sharp and expert Gaon and exalted righteous man, his holiness and Torah fill the world… I saw when he opened his holy mouth, joining Torah, Prophets, and Writings, Midrash, Yalkut, and Kabbalistic works, combining them all together.” New attractive leather binding. Stains. Good condition.