Bidspirit auction | Origins of Hasidism – First

Origins of Hasidism – First Edition: Sifurei Kedoshim. Lvov, 1866; an extremely rare book - Sifurei Kedoshim – wondrous tales related by men of truth, who recounted to their children the marvelous deeds of the mighty shepherds and holy figures of the land. Lvov, printed by the noble R. Beril Leib. 1866. First and rare edition. The work comprises early and foundational narratives from the beginnings of Hasidism and Kabbalah, including stories about: Rabbi Isaac Luria, the holy Ari; Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov; Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli; A story from Toldot Ephraim concerning Rabbi Solomon Ephraim of Luntshitz (author of Kli Yakar), “copied from the register of the holy community of Prague”; Rabbi Nathan Shapira, author of Megalleh Amukot; and many others. The book is attributed to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Budik [Budek] (1825–1875), a disciple of leading Hasidic masters: R. Shalom of Belz, R. Isaac Isaac of Zidichov, and R. Meir of Premishlan. This volume appears in the Rare Books Collection of the National Library of Jerusalem, cataloged as a “rare book, ” no. 8=96 A 239. [28] leaves; approx. 18 cm. Untrimmed margins. Condition: good to very good. Bound with: Ma’amar Ha-Aḥdut, by R. Joseph Ya‘avetz. Lemberg, 1865. Yesod Ha-Emunah, by R. Joseph Ya‘avetz. [Lemberg, 1865?]. Be’na’ot Desha, by R. Solomon Adahan. Lemberg, 1864. Koreh Ha-Dorot, by R. David Ashkenazi. Lemberg, 1865. All volumes are bound together in a shared contemporary binding from the time of printing. On the title pages of all the books appears the ownership stamp of the gaon Rabbi Ben-Zion Wiesel. Rabbi Ben-Zion Wiesel (1864–1938), the renowned rabbi of Turda, was among the foremost rabbis of Transylvania in his generation. He studied Torah under his father and received ordination from Rabbi Chananiah Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, author of Kedushat Yom Tov, and from Rabbi Mordechai Judah Löw, Av Beit Din of Interdam, author of Gidulat Mordechai. He was a disciple of the gaon, author of Shevet Sofer, and served as head of the Orthodox bureau of the rabbis of Transylvania. In his eulogy, Rabbi Solomon Zalman Ehrenreich, Av Beit Din of Șimleu, said of him: “The loss of the rabbi of Turda in our time is greater than the loss of the Noda BiYehudah in his time; for then there still remained sages and righteous men, but in such an orphaned generation—who will be our leader after him?” After his passing, his son-in-law, Rabbi Joseph Adler, was appointed to succeed him as rabbi of Turda. (See: The Hatam Sofer and His Disciples, p. 565.)