Biurei HaZohar – Kopust, 1816 – First Edition

Biurei HaZohar – Kopust, 1816 – First Edition
Biurei HaZohar, commentary to the Zohar, by Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi - the Baal HaTanya. Kopust (Kopys): R. Yisrael Yoffe, prominent disciple of the Baal HaTanya, [1816]. First edition.
A fundamental book clarifying many concepts of the Arizal's Kabbalah, according to Chassidic teachings. The commentaries to the Zohar, which the Baal HaTanya imparted to his sons and the elite of his disciples on Shabbat eves, were recorded by his son R. Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. The Baal HaTanya taught these commentaries from 19th Kislev 1801, until his final years. This book contains only a quarter of his commentaries to the Zohar (as his son writes in the foreword).
The title page states: "…and for the most part these holy writings were reviewed by the Rebbe, and he was very satisfied with them". In the foreword, his son the Mitteler Rebbe - R. Dov Ber (Schneuri) of Lubavitch describes the contents of the commentaries in the book: "…which we heard from his holy mouth, every Shabbat eve, commentaries and explanations of the essays of the Zohar, one leaf from every portion, for several years, and it is plainly visible to all that Divine Inspiration rested upon him as he revealed the light of the secrets of the Torah, in particular in his explanations of the essays, he attained their absolutely true meaning. As I heard directly from him, more than once, that throughout his life, he specifically set Shabbat as the time for studying Zohar … and he attested on himself that he only studies each Shabbat one or two leaves, but in great depth, with great toil, and investigating each word, to reach the true understanding of Kabbalah…".
At the end of the foreword, the Mitteler Rebbe describes the method of writing and arranging the book: "It is known to all those who study my father's teachings, that none of the writings contain anything of my own, except when explaining and clarifying in places where he was concise, and even that was taken from his teachings, when he elaborated further in other places…".
Rebbe Eliezer Tzvi Safrin of Komarno writes in his preface to his commentary Damesek Eliezer on the Zohar, that one of the books which were before him while he composed his commentary was the Biurei HaZohar by R. Dov Ber, son of R. Shneur Zalman.
[4], 139; 57 leaves. 20.5 cm. Printed in part on bluish paper. Uneven edges. Good-fair condition. Stains. Dark dampstains to some leaves. Worming to first and final leaves and to other leaves, slightly affecting text. Printing defect and tear to leaf 138, affecting text with some loss. Marginal tears to several leaves. Stamps to title page and in other places. New binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 79.