Bidspirit auction | Darkei Yesharim, with Hanhagos of

Darkei Yesharim, with Hanhagos of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk – Printed by Rabbi Yisrael Bek – Berditchev, 1817 * The sefer Darkei Yesharim, containing paths of proper conduct and Torah chiddushim from Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Premishlan, together with traditions from the Baal Shem Tov and his great disciple, the Maggid of Mezritch. A Sefer Yesod in Chassidus, printed many times. “Hanhagos Adam” from Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, author of Noam Elimelech, was printed at the end of the sefer. It comprises twenty-one sections. An exceptional and singular edition in which both works on ways of proper conduct by these two tzaddikim were printed together. See below for details regarding the early editions of both works. It was printed in holiness by the chassid Rabbi Yisrael Bek of Berditchev , who would personally engrave the printing letters and direct lofty intentions into them, and who himself stated, “My printing is holy” (from his words at the beginning of the sefer Kapei Aharon, Jerusalem 1874). According to an early testimony, Rabbi Yisrael engraved letters for the famous printing press in Slavita (Greivsky, Bnos Tzion V’Yerushalayim, I–X, p. 324). In later years, he moved to Tzfat, and after the earthquake there, he moved to Jerusalem, where he established the first Jewish printing press in the holy city. The present sefer is one of the earliest sefarim produced in his printing press, when he was only about twenty years old. On the title page, his name is explicitly mentioned, unlike many sefarim from his printing press that were printed anonymously. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Premishlan (1728–1771) , one of the greatest and most esteemed disciples of the Baal Shem Tov, whose teachings and paths of conduct were cited by the early Chassidic greats. In 1764, he moved to Teveria together with Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka, where he passed away. His primary disciple, Rabbi Meshulam Feivush of Zbarizh, writes: “We knew that they possessed ruach hakodesh, and some even merited the revelation of Eliyahu [Hanavi], zt”l, such as the Baal Shem Tov, his disciple Rabbi Dov Ber, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel [of Premishlan]” (Yosher Divrei Emes, letter 26). Berditchev, 1817. Page Count: [15] leaves. Size: 16 cm. Condition: Good–fair; the sefer has undergone professional restoration. The margins of the leaves are uneven. Fine new binding. Bibliography: Stefansky, Chassidus no. 146; Ginzei Yisrael no. 1137. - - - - - - - - - - - Editions of Darkei Yesharim and Hanhagos Adam of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk Darkei Yesharim: This was first printed, apparently in Zolkiew, around 1794. That edition included several works: the prayer “Kegavna, ” the Baal Shem Tov’s commentary on Psalm 107, and more, and concluded with “Hanhagos Yesharos.” Afterward, the Zhitomir 1805 edition was printed. In that edition, the material was divided into two separate sefarim with independent title pages:   - “Darkei Yesharim” – including Hanhagos Yesharos;   - “Sefer from Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov” – including the prayer sections. This structure was also kept in the Laszczow 1816 edition. In the present edition, only the Darkei Yesharim section was printed, including Hanhagos Yesharos, and it appears to be based on the text of the Zhitomir 1805 edition. Hanhagos Rabbi Elimelech: This was first printed, as is known, within Iggeres HaKodesh, Zolkiew 1799. A revised and different version was later printed in the edition of Bris Avraham, Polonnoye 1802 (the differences are mainly in the division of sections and slight variations in wording). This version was printed again at the beginning of Noam Elimelech, Polonnoye 1804, and thereafter appeared many times in various editions. In the present edition, the text is identical to that of the Polonnoye 1802 edition. In this edition, two works on paths of proper conduct were printed together: Hanhagos Yesharos and Hanhagos Rabbi Elimelech — a new combination that did not appear again.