Bidspirit auction | Extremely Rare: Divrei Tzaddikim –

Extremely Rare: Divrei Tzaddikim – Polemic Against the Chassidic Movement – Odessa, 1867. - Divrei Tzaddikim, a dialogue between two Chassidim in the kloiz of Balak concerning the book Megaleh Temirin, together with Emek Refaim, which presents two “visions” in the world of Atzilut. Odessa, L. Nitsche and A. Tzedarbaum Press, 1867–1868. First edition of Emek Refaim. A particularly rare book! To the best of our knowledge, aside from this copy, no other copies have been seen in auctions. It is easy to surmise that the book was destroyed by the Chassidim. The first part of the book contains two letters sent from “Aram Naharayim” to Rabbi “Chaim Mizrachi” of Tiberias, concerning “spiritual visions” of the ill, laced with sharp veiled mockery of the Chassidim. The second part contains three letters and a dialogue between Chassidim about Joseph Perl’s book Megaleh Temirin. These two parts were previously printed under the title Divrei Tzaddikim (Vienna, 1830). The third part contains a satirical poem against the custom of “Chassidic drunkenness at the third meal.” This part was printed here for the first time. The book was published under the pseudonym “Yaavetz Rokeach, ” actually the well-known maskil Yitzchak Ber Levinsohn. Discovery! At the beginning of the book is a yellow wrapper leaf with a new title, differing from the regular title page. Additionally, the Hebrew year on this title is 1868, whereas the regular title page bears 1867. To our examination, this title page is bibliographically unknown. It is not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, the National Library, or in Shmuel Wiener’s Kehilat Moshe. [1] wrapper leaf, [2], 38 pp. Approx. 20 cm. Good condition. Stains, some wear. Small tears at the margins of the last leaf. Ink inscriptions on the back of the wrapper title page. Without binding.