Auction 26
Lot 038:
The book Birkat David on the Five Books of the Torah (only actually printed on Bereishit). Chassidic and kabbalistic elucidations by the Rebbe Rabbi Avraham David Wahrmann of Buczacz – first edition, Lemberg 1805 [seems to have been printed in 1845, see below]. [2], 180 leaves. The last two leaves are missing, originally 182 leaves. Some printed on blueish paper. Stains, ancient faded leather binding, spine glued to the binding, good general condition. The year of printing was written in Hebrew as 5665 [1805] and in the foreign language as 1800, and the name of the printing press as Rosanis Jihdas. The two dates that contradict each other are forged, as is the name of the printer. The true date of printing is hinted to in the signature of the printer at the end of the book, in which the words “Tefillah L’Elokei David” are emphasized, in other words, the year 1845. Forgeries of this type were done due to prohibitions of the sensor and persecutions of the followers of the Enlightenment against the chassidim during that time. In the books of Chassidut printed in Galicia at this time this is a common phenomenon. [A. Ya’ari lists 16 books forged in this manner. See: A. Ya’ari, Beit Dfus Shel Harabbanit Yehudit Rosenish B’Lvov, Kiryat Sefer, 17, page 107, no. 43]. On the rear side of the title page the sentence “Torat Hashem Temima” is printed in large letters and underneath is stated that the approbations were not printed “for a hidden reason”. It seems that omission of the approbations is part of the overall camouflaging of the printing details for the reasons mentioned above. In the copy before us, on the leaf before the title page there is handwriting that fills up the entire page that describes tales and instructions from holy men. Under the words “I heard from Rabbi Moshe son of Rabbi Zanwil of Stretin” the writer relates an interesting story of divine providence and faith, as well as another story from Rabbi Naftali Zvi Horowitz of Ropshitz, and matters of service of G-d from the righteous men of the Premishla dynasty. We were unable to determine the identity of the writer. The Rebbe Rabbi Avraham David Wahrmann of Buczacz (1771 – 1841), the Buczaczer Rav, a rabbi, chassid and posek who was known as a tremendous genius and who wrote many books on all sections of the Shulchan Aruch, ‘Eshel Avraham’ on Orach Chaim, ‘Ezer Mikodesh’ on Even Ha’ezer, Kesef Hakodshim’ on Choshen Mishpat and ‘Daat Kedoshim’ on Yoreh Deah. His books were enthusiastically received and were even printed as appendices in editions of the Shulchan Aruch. Son-in-law of Rabbu Zvi Hirsch Kara, author of Nata Sha’ashuim, the beloved disciple of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, served as rabbi of the cities of Yazlovets (a position he received at the young age of 20!) and Buczacz, the city his name was associated forevermore.
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