First Printing: Diveri Chaim by the Sacred Rebbe of Sanz. His First Sefer, Printed Anonymously

First Printing: Diveri Chaim by the Sacred Rebbe of Sanz. His First Sefer, Printed Anonymously

Chassidut, first edition: Sefer Divrei Chaim on the halachahs of gittin and mikva’ot by the Admo”r Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, the leading Admo”r of Galicia, known by the name of this book, as the author of Divrei Chaim. Two parts bound together with separate title pages. Zolkiew, 1864.

First edition of the halachic work by the leading Admo"r of Galicia. This sefer was accepted across the entire Diaspora, by mitnagdim as well as Chassidim, in the merit of the author's tremendous genius. As stated, the sefer was printed anonymously. The author's name is printed explicitly only in the second edition of the sefer (Munkacs, 1892).

This book silently attests to the author’s tremendous humility. When the book was being printed, the Admo”r was already almost seventy years old! He was an expert rabbi and respected Admo”r, yet he ordered his son (R’ Baruch of Gorlice) to print this book anonymously, and to write on the title page: "Sefer Divrei Chaim, authored by one of the disciples …" [!!] In the introduction, the author also apologizes in case he has written against the opinion of gedolei Torah, “as I know I have not reached the level even of their disciples’ disciples, it’s just that my quill discharged against my will … but I know that my worth is low, and I did not come to protest, just to state the halachah …”

The author was very happy when his book was released, and said that when Mashiach arrives, he will go to greet him like one greets a king or an important minister, and all experts arrive with the tools of their trades in their hands, and authors with their books in their hands. He said, “I, too, will be there with this work, and I have nothing to be ashamed of!”

Provenance: private library.

Part 1: [3], 34, [1], 33-44, 1-27 leaf, Part II: [1], 23, [1] leaf. Approximately 34 cm. Handwritten gloss in the margins of leaf 19 of the first pagination.

Fine condition. Aging stains and isolated tears. Tear in the upper right corner of the title page, with damage to one word of the title page and several lines on the back of the title page. Tear with lack in the corner of the last leaf. Partially detached binding.