Auction 41
Lot 200:
Volume with two important works of chassidut:
1. Noam Elimelech on the Torah, a foundational Chassidic work by the Admor Rabi Elimelech of Luzhansk. Printed in Lemberg in 1870. 136 leaves, no page numbering.
2. Chomat Ariel (an acronym of Chiddushim and Droshim, Ma’amarei Torah from the Roeh Yisrael Aryeh Leibush) on the Torah, a Chassidic work by Rabbi Aryeh Leib, Av Beit Din of Lanzhot and Kishinev, with a collection at the end from Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Liska and Rabbi Naftali Zvi of Rufshitz. First edition, Lemberg 1867. [2], 74 leaves. Stefanski Chassidut 221. Antique binding, leather spine, stains, overall good condition.
The title page has a signature of ownership: “Haim Ehrenreich ben Nechama”—Rabbi Haim Ehrenreich, son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich, the Av Beit Din of Simloy.
Additional signatures with the name: “Menachem Fein Tukh” and “Yisrael Zvi Feintok.”
The author of Chomat Ariel was Rabbi Aryeh Leib (Aryeh Yehuda Leib) of Lanzhot (1757/8-1824/6), son of Rabbi Baruch. He was a student of the Chozeh of Lublin and the Maggid of Kozhnitz. He was rabbi of Lanzhot from 1777, a position he received when he was only 20 years old. From 1819 he succeeded Rabbi Haim of Chernowitz (the Beer Mayim Chayim) in the Rabbinate of Kishinev, where he served until he passed away. He was close to the Count Potocki, whom he used to provide sums for distribution to the needy. He wrote Chomat Ariel, Divrei Esther, Gevurot Aryeh, and the Arba’ah Chareshim. He was known for his genius in the revealed and mystical torah, and there were those who compared his sharpness to that of Rabbi Yehonatan Ivshitz. The Ohev Yisrael of Aphtha would visit him every year in Kishinev for advice and would say that “secrets of Torah hidden for 400 years have been passed through Rabbi Aryeh Leib”. See the Encyclopedia of Chassidut, Section 1, p. 328; Otzer HaRabbanim 3336; Me’orei Galicia, Section 1, p. 292-93.
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