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Sod Yachin U’Boaz by the Holy Meir Nesivim – Including His Eyewitness Testimony About the Baal Shem Tov and His Holy Conduct  Ostroh, 1794. First Edition. * “Who has ever seen such precious teachings? Fortunate is the generation who has merited them!” (Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli on this sefer). Sod Yachin U’Boaz is a work of ethical teachings and spiritual guidance, written in the form of a will and interwoven with Kabbalistic ideas and inspiring parables. It was authored by the renowned gaon and holy chassid Rabbi Meir Margolies, Av Beis Din of Ostroh, author of Meir Nesivim and a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. On leaf 5a, the author brings a spiritual practice that he personally heard from his revered teacher, the Baal Shem Tov, concerning the proper approach to Torah study lishmah: “My great teachers in Torah and Chassidus taught me this, among them my beloved teacher, the saintly Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov zt”l. The proper intention when studying Torah lishmah is to bind oneself, in holiness and purity, to the holy letters... When one merits to understand and become attached to those holy letters, one can perceive directly from the letters themselves even future events!” On the following page, he offers a remarkable personal testimony about the Baal Shem Tov and the spiritual conduct he witnessed firsthand: “From when I was young, ever since I became closely attached to my teacher and beloved friend, Rabbi Yisrael... I knew with certainty that this was the way he conducted himself: with holiness and purity, with exceptional piety and self-denial. His wisdom embodied the verse, ‘The righteous shall live by his faith.’ Hidden mysteries were revealed to him, in keeping with the verse, ‘The glory of Hashem is to conceal a matter.’” The sefer opens with many approbations from the greatest Chassidic leaders of the generation. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev praises the author as “the true gaon, Rabban of all the exiled communities, a holy chassid.” Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli, brother of the Noam Elimelech, writes: “Behold this holy and pure sefer by the true gaon, the true chassid, the giant of his generation... Who has ever seen such precious teachings? Fortunate is the generation that merited them!” The Maggid of Kozhnitz likewise urges every G-d-fearing Jew to acquire the author’s works. Additional approbations were contributed by Rabbi Asher Tzvi of Ostroh, author of Ma’ayan HaChochmah; Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rovno; the sages of the Ostroh kloiz; and others. Leaf 16 contains a prayer composed by Rabbi Meir, and leaf 20 includes another prayer authored by him for protection from the yetzer hara. This sefer is the rarest of all the works authored by the Meir Nesivim. Rabbi Meir Margolies, Av Beis Din of Lvov and Ostroh, author of Shu”t Meir Nesivim (d. 1790) , was one of the earliest members of the select circle of disciples who attached themselves to the Baal Shem Tov, whom he affectionately refers to throughout his writings as “my teacher and friend.” His published works include Meir Nesivim (Polonne, 1791–1792), Sod Yachin U’Boaz (the present work), HaDerech HaTov VeHaYashar (Polonne, 1795), and Kesones Ohr (Berditchev, 1816). Ostroh, 1794. First edition. Page Count: 22 leaves. Size: 19.8 cm.   Condition: Good. Fine-quality paper. Restored holes (some affecting a few words). Stains. Fine antique binding, lightly worn. Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Chassidus, no. 435.