Pair of Books by the Bnei Yissaschar. First Editions. Astonishing Story

Pair of Books by the Bnei Yissaschar. First Editions. Astonishing Story

Pair of books by the rebbe Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov [author of Bnei Yissachar], one of the leading Chassidic Admor"im. First editions. Bound together. Premishlan, 1874-1876. One of the books is printed without a title page for an astonishing and shocking reason.

* Sefer Maggid Ta'alumah on Tractate Berachot by the Admo"r Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov. Approbations from Rabbi Chaim Halberstam and Rabbi Yosef Shaul HaLevi Nathansohn. Premishlan, 1876. First edition. [2] 114 leaves. 32 cm.

Bound with:

* Sefer V'Heyeh Berachah on Mishnayot Berachot and Tosefta by the Admo"r Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shaipra of Dinov. Approbations by Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, Rabbi Yosef Yosef Shaul HaLevi Nathansohn and Rabbi Yitzchak Shelkis. [Premishlan, c. 1874.]

The book V'Heyeh Berachah was printed without a title page, as were many of the first editions of books by the Bnei Yissaschar, the result of an astonishing and shocking incident: A scholarly avreich named Yosef Terler was once stuck in the Bnei Yissachar's study hall. When he heard the Bnei Yissacher reading the Torah with enthusiasm - the passage about the gid hanasheh, his mouth filled with words of mockery of the Torah's sanctity. When the Bnei Yissachar heard his words, he said "I am certain that he will convert ..." Indeed, just a few days later, Yosef Terler was captured by the authorities for forgery. To avoid punishment, he and his family converted. After his conversion, he was appointed government censor in Lvov. The apostate censor Yosef Terler, out of revenge, did not allow the Bnei Yissachar's books to be printed. For this reason, many books by the Bnei Yissachar do not have a title page and are printed anonymously. Although this particular book was printed after the evil censor's death, he had left instructions in the law - an explicit order that books by the Dinover Rebbe not be printed, and this stayed in effect after his death. (Refer to: Ohel Naftali, Warsaw, 1911, pp. 98-99, Naftali ben Menachem; Tamiran I, pp. 313-316).

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of author,  Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov.

Maggid Ta'alumah: [2] 113, [1] leaf. 31 cm. Stamps and glosses.

V'Heyeh Berachah: [1], 36 leaf. 31 cm. Stamps.

Overall fine condition. Brittle paper. Aging stains. Several detached leaves. Simple binding.