Bidspirit auction | Shu”t Divrei Chaim, Lviv, 1875.

Shu”t Divrei Chaim, Lviv, 1875. Two parts in one volume. First edition. Wide margins - Shu”t Divrei Chaim – responsa on all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch, by the holy Rebbe of Sanz, Rabbi Chaim Halberstam. Lviv, 1875. First printing. Two parts bound together. First edition. Published during the lifetime of the author, the holy tzaddik of Sanz, with the title page stating: ”That which I gathered and compiled from the responsa I wrote and discussed with the great sages of our time – I, the young and humble among Israel, who am called Chaim, the Rav of the holy community of Sanz.” Includes a particularly short introduction by the author. The book was published by his grandsons, Rabbi Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov and Rabbi Moshe Halberstam of Bardiyov. The Divrei Chaim was known for his meticulousness in preparing the responsa for print. It is told that after midnight he would sit with his scribe, Rabbi Avish Meir, and dictate the final version of his responsa. After reading several sections, he would immerse in the mikveh, return, and continue dictating. He would repeat this process up to five times in a single night, even during the freezing nights of Tevet – all in order to produce Torah innovations in holiness and purity (see Makor Chaim, Bilgoraj, 1912, sec. 13). Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz (1797–1876), Rav of the city of Sanz in Galicia, founder of the Sanz Hasidic dynasty, and one of the greatest leaders of Eastern European Jewry in the 19th century. He was a disciple of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Zidichov. Most of his sons and sons-in-law served as rebbes, the most famous being his son Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova. His descendants established many Hasidic dynasties including Sanz-Klausenburg, Bobov, and Stropkov. Rabbi Chaim was also recognized as one of the most prominent halachic authorities of the late Acharonim. He was ordained by Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margaliot of Brody and corresponded with the leading halachic minds of his generation. He is particularly known for his stringent views on the laws of mikva’ot, his strong opposition to machine-made matzot, and to tzitzit spun by machine. Some of his rulings stirred intense debate within the Hasidic world – such as his stance that unmarried men must wear tefillin on Chol HaMoed, and that Hasidic leadership (admorut) is not inherently hereditary. His responsa, Divrei Chaim, became part of the canonical literature of modern halachic rulings. With ownership stamps of Rabbi Chaim Berlin, son of the Netziv. Stefansky Chassidut 119. Stefansky Sifrei Yesod 312. Part I: [2], 134 leaves. Part II: [4], 120 leaves. 38.5 cm. Very good condition, except for damage to the first four and last leaves. Plain binding.