All the Books of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz – First Editions – Munkacs-Zhovkva-Lviv, 1864-1877

All the Books of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz – First Editions – Munkacs-Zhovkva-Lviv, 1864-1877
Collection of first editions of all the parts of the Divrei Chaim series (responsa, halachah and novellae, homiletics and Chassidut), by Rebbe Chaim Halberstam of Sanz:
• Divrei Chaim, two parts, on the laws of Gittin (divorce documents) and Mikvaot (ritual baths). Zhovkva, 1864. First edition.
This is the first work of the Divrei Chaim to be published (Responsa Divrei Chaim was published 11 years later, in 1875). In his preface, the author writes "I did not write my name for the obvious reason", yet from the second edition (Munkacs 1892) onwards, the name of the author was printed on the title page. In the foreword to the second edition, the son of the author, Rebbe Baruch of Gorlitz, related that his father declared on his deathbed that he praises and thanks G-d that he merited to reach correct conclusions in the laws of Gittin and Mikvaot in this work. He assured that anyone who rules based on this book, would surely rule correctly.
Reputedly, when the book arrived from the printing press, the author "rejoiced greatly", and exclaimed that when Mashiach would come, he would go to meet him holding this book, together with all other authors (see Zochrenu LeChaim, Munkacs 1938, p. 331).
Stamp of R. "Shmuel Abba Snieg, rabbi of Munich" (a leader of Lithuanian Jewry, served as chief rabbi of Munich for twenty years and chairman of the Vaad Agudath HaRabbanim in the US Zone of Germany, d. 1970).
Handwritten gloss on p. 12b of the final sequence.
[3], 34, [1], 33-44; 1-27; [1], 23, [1] leaves. Approx. 34 cm. Good condition. Stains (including many stains to first and final leaves), tears and wear. Stamps. New leather binding.
• Responsa Divrei Chaim, responsa on the four parts of Shulchan Aruch. Lviv, 1875. First edition. Two parts in one volume.
A large part of the responsa printed in Responsa Divrei Chaim pertain to questions of agunot. Reputedly, when the Divrei Chaim "needed to sign a responsum regarding an agunah… he practiced much asceticism and immersions before he affixed his signature to the permit" (see Pitcha Zuta, Eruvin, 1907, foreword). This was his practice when writing responsa to questions he received, and also in his final years, when he began arranging his responsa for print.
Reputedly, when he worked on arranging and preparing his responsa for print, the Divrei Chaim would dictate the final version to his scribe, R. Abish Meyer, after midnight. After dictating several sections, the Divrei Chaim would go to immerse in the mikveh, then continue dictating the next few sections, and immerse again, "and thus he would immerse five times a night, while the scribe would write half a responsum, or one complete, brief responsum… in order to produce Torah novellae in holiness and purity" (see Mekor Chaim, Biłgoraj 1912, section 13).
Signature and ownership inscription on the title page: "Binyamin Menachem Altman"; "I purchased it on Chol HaMoed Sukkot 1911 from the estate of R. P. Horowitz, Bistritz, Yehoshua HaKohen – for my son the young Torah scholar R. Yechezkel Shraga HaKohen". Signature at the top of p. 1a: "Avraham Shimon Mandel". Stamp on preceding leaf: "Yehuda Mandel". Other stamps.
Two parts in one volume. [2], 134; [4], 120 leaves. Approx. 36 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming to some leaves, primarily to margins. Marginal tears to several leaves, repaired with paper. Stamps and handwritten inscriptions. New leather binding.
• Divrei Chaim – Part I, on the Torah, Munkacs (Mukachevo), 1877; Part II, on the festivals and Tractate Bava Metzia. Munkacs, 1877. First edition, published by "the sons of the author". Two volumes.
Divrei Chaim on the Torah and festivals was published after the passing of the author. In the foreword to the composition on the Torah, the sons describe their holy father and the day of his death: "…his great holiness and piety… was well-known. He dedicated his entire life to Torah study, devoted service and great fear of Heaven from his youth… Our own eyes saw on the day of his death… that he sanctified himself like the heavenly Seraphim with yichudim and great fervor which did not cease for one moment until his soul clung to the Heavenly Light…". At the end of the introduction they write about their father's will to publish these books: "…We, the sons of our holy father the author, have expended effort in printing this composition in compliance with his command before his death to print and publish it speedily. The merit of our father should protect us and the entire Jewish People, and strengthen Torah and fear of Heaven, and we and all our Jewish brethren should be graced with an abundance of blessing and success".
In the foreword to part II, the author's sons relate that their father, the Divrei Chaim studied tractate Bava Metzia "with great concentration with a group of eminent Torah scholars for over 20 years and that he composed wonderful novellae…". They also write that their father's novellae follow both revealed and esoteric approaches.
Stamp in the first volume: "Aharon R.". On the back endpaper of vol. II, ownership inscription of R. Alter Steinmetz: "This Divrei Chaim was gifted to me by my father, Alter son of R. Shlomo Steinmetz".
Vol. I: [2], 84 leaves, [5] leaves. Vol. II: [2], 72; 48 leaves. Approx. 22-23 cm. Overall good-fair condition. Stains. Tears to several leaves. Vol. I – dry and brittle paper. Marginal open tears to title page. Vol. II – worming affecting text, inscriptions and stamps. Open tear to final leaf, affecting text. New bindings.