Beit Aharon (Karlin) – Brody, 1875, First Edition – Fine, Exceptionally Wide-Margined Copy, with Original Leather ...

Beit Aharon (Karlin) – Brody, 1875, First Edition – Fine, Exceptionally Wide-Margined Copy, with Original Leather Binding – With a Handwritten List of Psalms Recited on Chanukah According to the Karlin Custom
Beit Aharon, "on Torah and worship of G-d", by Rebbe Aharon Perlow of Karlin. Brody, 1875. First edition.
Fine copy with exceptionally wide margins and original, elegant leather binding, with gilt decorations.
The book begins with a collection of Azharot Kodesh, and records of Chassidic practices from the rebbes of the Karlin-Stolin dynasty: R. Aharon HaGadol of Karlin, his son R. Asher (the first), the latter's son R. Aharon (the second, the elder), and his son R. Asher (the second, the young one).
The renowned Shabbat song – Kah Echsof Noam Shabbat by R. Aharon HaGadol of Karlin is printed on leaf 6 (p. 11). The foreword explains that this book was named Beit Aharon, since that was how R. Aharon of Karlin would refer to his writings, in reminiscence of the way his grandfather R. Aharon HaGadol, when his son R. Asher once inquired at the age of 10 as to the origins of the song Kah Echsof, replied "Beit Aharon".
Ownership inscriptions at the top of the title page: "Belongs to R. Pincha[s] Aharon son of R. Shmuel Sokolowitz", "And it now belongs to his son Shmuel son of Pinchas Aharon Sokolowitz". Owner's name embossed on the back cover: "Pinchas son of R. Shmuel".
A list was handwritten on the final leaf of the book: "Chanukah Psalms" – Psalms customarily recited in the Karlin court following the Chanukah candle lighting. This custom is recorded in the Beit Aharon VeYisrael siddur of Karlin Chassidim, after HaNerot Halalu: "Every night, following the Chanukah candle lighting, we gather in the synagogue and recite the Chanukah Psalms". This introduction is followed by a list of Psalms and prayers to be recited every night of Chanukah after candle lighting. Different Psalms are recited every night, in a specific order. The list of Psalms handwritten in this book differs slightly from the order printed in the Karlin siddur (see also Kedem Auction 67, item 277).
[4], 316, [3], [3] pages. Lacking first title page. Exceptionally wide margins. 28.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Signs of usage on first leaves. Minor worming. Marginal worming, tears and minor damage to title page and final leaf. Original, elegant leather binding, with gilt decorations. Worming, wear and damage to binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 82.
Some corrections were made to this first edition during the course of the printing, resulting in variations between the different copies. For instance, in this copy, the following announcement was printed on the final leaf: "To inform that approbations by prominent Tzaddikim of our generation for this printing are in our possession, as well as approbations and copyright warnings from Sephardi Torah scholars and rabbis… and whoever heeds our words will be secure and tranquil, and the blessing of goodness will be applied to him". In some copies, this passage was printed in a different location, with textual variations (see article by R. A. Shor, Regarding the Writing and Printing Process of the Book Beit Aharon, Beit Aharon VeYisrael, year VI issue I (31), pp. 139-147, regarding the stages of printing of this book, and the corrections made during the course of the printing, resulting in differences between the various copies of the book).