Bidspirit auction | Chiddushim from the Great Masters

Chiddushim from the Great Masters of Chassidus! Be'er Mayim Chaim by the Maggid of Kremnitz and Brody – First and Rare Edition – Lvov 1821 *  Be'er Mayim Chaim, a collection of inspiring drashos on refined character, ethical conduct, and Yiras Shamayim, by the renowned maggid, Rabbi Chaim Ozer HaKohen of Brody, author of Nachal Eshkol. Throughout the sefer, the author brings numerous Torah insights and teachings from some of the outstanding tzaddikim and leaders of Chassidus. Among them are teachings in the name of: Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg: “I heard in the name of the gaon Rabbi Shmelke, Av Beis Din of Nikolsburg” (10b). Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov: “I heard this beautiful thought in the name of the late Rabbi Leib of Sassov z”l” (28a). The Maggid, Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov : “As brought in Ginzai Yosef in the name of the chassid Rabbi Yechiel, Maggid of Yampol” (24b), and “As printed in our work Nachal Eshkol in the name of the chassid Rabbi Yechiel, Maggid of Yampol” (12b). Rabbi Yehudah Leibish Auerbach, Av Beis Din of Vishnivitz : “I heard from the gaon Rabbi Leibish, Av Beis Din of Vishnivitz” (8a), and “Hashem illuminated my eyes through the words of the gaon Rabbi Leibush, Av Beis Din of Vishnivitz and Klevan” (19a). (Rabbi Leibush was a relative of Rabbi Moshe Shapira of Slavita and Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolies of Brody, and his approbations appear in numerous sefarim printed in Slavita and elsewhere.) Rabbi Moshe Bernblum, Av Beis Din of Old Konstantin : “Rabbi Moshe, Av Beis Din of Old Konstantin, said the following explanation…” (11a). (He was among those who endorsed the sefer Ohr Pnei Moshe by the Rebbe of Pshevorsk.) Rabbi Binyamin, the Maggid of Berditchev and Brody: “I heard from the author of Imrei Binyamin” (10a), and “How powerful and upright are the words of Rabbi Binyamin, Maggid here in Brody” (6a). The author also cites teachings in the name of Rabbi Dovid of Yampol: “I heard this explanation of the pasuk in the name of Rabbi Dovid of Yampol” (31b), and Rabbi Sender Margolies, Av Beis Din of Stanov: “In the name of the gaon Rabbi Sender, Av Beis Din of Stanov” (35a). Leaves 35–45 contain the sefer Asarah L'Me'ah by the Maggid Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Wodzislaw, father of Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa. Rabbi Chaim Ozer was so deeply impressed by Asarah L'Me'ah that he chose to print the work within his own sefer for the benefit of the public. A rare sefer, seldom encountered at auction. In his book Encyclopedia of the Sages of Galicia, Meir Wender compiled a list of the many tzaddikim and rabbanim cited by the author in his first two sefarim, Nachal Eshkol and Mekor HaChochmah. However, he did not include any references from the author's third work, Be'er Mayim Chaim — the present volume — perhaps because he had never seen it. The author, Rabbi Chaim HaKohen of Kremnitz and Brody (c. 1760–circa 1825), was a descendant of the Maharshal, the Bach, and the Shach. He studied in the famous beis medrash of the gaon Rabbi Chaim of Sanz in Brody (as noted on the title page), later taught Torah in one of Brody's biggest batei medrash, and was widely acclaimed in his day as an outstanding darshan. The place of printing does not appear on the title page. It is established from the author's introduction, where he writes: “While I was here in the holy community of Lvov, I came to an agreement with the printers…” Printed on the reverse of the title page are approbations from the rabbanim of Brody and Jaroslaw, as well as from Rabbi Yissachar Ber of Zlotchov, author of Orach L'Chaim. Also listed are the names of the Beis Ephraim of Brody, Rabbi Betzalel Margolies, and others who had endorsed the author's second sefer, Mekor HaChochmah. Lvov, 1821. First and rare edition. Page Count: 46 leaves. Height: 23.2 cm. Condition: Good. A few stains. Tiny hole on leaf 43 affecting one word. Fine new leather binding. Provenance: Haginzach Auction (2020). Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Chassidus, no. 73; Ginzei Yisrael (Mehlmann collection), no. 1013.