Bat Ayin – First Edition – Jerusalem, 1847

Bat Ayin – First Edition – Jerusalem, 1847
Bat Ayin, by Rebbe Avraham Dov of Ovritsh. Jerusalem: R. Yisrael Bak, [1847]. First edition.
This book is a basic text of Chassidic thought and contains the holiness of Eretz Israel. It was written by the disciples of the author, but it was carefully edited by Rebbe Avraham Dov after Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl instructed him to print it. Upon the instructions of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, the first edition of the book was printed specifically in Eretz Israel and not in the Diaspora, as the publisher states in his foreword. The Zhitomir edition (1869) contains several additional lines in the author's preface, where he writes that his book contains the holiness of Eretz Israel: "I called this book Bat Ayin, since that title has the same numerical value as my name… and because I have inserted the holiness of the Holy Land in my writings, and the land is referred to as being under the constant scrutiny of G-d's watchful eyes" (ayin in Hebrew).
Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl writes in his approbation to the 1869 edition: "I hereby… bless… anyone who buys this book at full price, with success in all their dealings".
The author, Rebbe Avraham Dov of Ovritsh (Ovruch; 1765-1841), was a renowned chassid and disciple of R. Nachum of Chernobyl and his son R. Mordechai as well as of R. Zusha of Anipoli and R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. He served as rabbi of Ovritsh for 40 years, and was known as "the holy rabbi of Ovritsh". In 1833 he immigrated to Eretz Israel, and established his Beit Midrash in Safed, where he became the leader of the Chassidic communities. Miraculous stories are told of his deliverance from the tragic earthquake in 1837, which took place during the late afternoon Mincha prayers in the synagogues. The Rebbe warned his Chassidim not to leave the synagogue, and he himself lay on the floor of the Beit Midrash while the surrounding congregation held on to his belt. The entire building collapsed with the exception of the narrow area in which the Rebbe and his followers lay (some time later, the Rebbe related that he recognized that the earthquake had not been a natural event, since the stones were cast to the sides and did not fall directly to the ground in spite of their weight. He understood that great power had been granted to the Satan, and he therefore lay submissively on the ground in fulfillment of the verse "Wait a moment until the fury passes"). After the earthquake, he restored the Safed community and did not allow his Chassidim to abandon the holy city. He died of a plague in Safed in 1841 which ceased after his passing. Many miraculous stories are told of his lofty holiness and the wonders he performed for the Jewish people.
[2], 125 leaves. Without [1] final leaf with list of subscribers. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Marginal dampstains to some leaves. Light worming to first two leaves. Damage to final leaf, affecting edge of text. Ownership inscription and stamp on title page. New leather binding.
A short time after the printing of the first edition in Jerusalem, a second edition was printed in Zhitomir, 1850. The Zhitomir printers were evidently unaware of the earlier Jerusalem printing, and the Zhitomir edition was based on a different manuscript, leading to several variations between the two editions [see N. Ben-Menachem, Kiryat Sefer, XXXVII, 1962, pp. 401-402; B'Shaarei Sefer, Jerusalem, 1967, pp. 49-53].
S. HaLevy, no. 38; Stefansky Chassidut, no. 103.