Bereshit-Shemot with the Or HaChaim Commentary - Shklow, 1784 - The Edition From Which Rabbi Pinchas of Korets ...

Bereshit-Shemot with the Or HaChaim Commentary - Shklow, 1784 - The Edition From Which Rabbi Pinchas of Korets Studied One Leaf a Day, as a Segulah for His Son's Recovery
Five Books of the Torah, Part I, Bereshit-Shemot, with Targum Onkelos and the Rashi commentary and Or HaChaim - commentary by R. Chaim ibn Attar - the Or HaChaim HaKadosh. Shklow: Tzvi Hirsch son of Aryeh Leib [Margolies] and son-in-law Shmuel son of Yissachar Ber Segal, [1784]. Second edition of the Or HaChaim commentary on the Torah - first edition printed in Eastern Europe.
The Or HaChaim commentary was particularly cherished by R. Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, and in Shem HaGedolim, the Chida, who was a disciple of the Or HaChaim, relates: "…and we heard that now in Poland this commentary is held in high regard, and it was printed two more times, and this was caused by R. Yisrael Baal Shem Tov who acclaimed the preeminence of R. Chaim's soul" (Shem HaGedolim, Maarechet Sefarim, I, section 54). The Chida notes in other places of the custom which became widespread in Poland - to study the Or HaChaim commentary every Shabbat (see: Maarechet Sefarim, V, end of section 62). This edition was printed more than forty years following the printing of the first edition (Venice, 1742), and it is the first edition to be published in Eastern Europe. In 1784-1791, this Chumash with the Or HaChaim commentary was the most prevalent in Eastern Europe, and great Chassidic leaders would study it every single Shabbat. Reputedly, R. Pinchas of Korets (1726-1790) would study one whole leaf from this edition every day as a segula for recovery: "Once, the son of the rabbi [=R. Pinchas of Korets] fell ill, and he undertook to study every day one leaf of the Or HaChaim commentary from the large Chumashim of Shklow (Imrei Pinchas HaShalem, I, p. 281).
A wondrous story about this edition is retold, which took place when the publisher, R. Asher of Korets, presented this edition before R. Pinchas, who expressed great joy over these books. When he opened the second volume (not the present volume) and leafed to Parashat Re'eh, R. Pinchas saw to his dismay that the publisher had impinged upon the words of the Or HaChaim, and omitted the last two words of the sentence "Meshiach Hashem Shemo Chaim" (Devarim 16, 7). When R. Pinchas asked the publisher why he omitted the words of the Or HaChaim, the latter responded: "I knew that he was referring to himself, therefore I omitted them" (this publisher, R. Asher, was somewhat influenced by the maskilim of Zhovkva, his hometown). R. Pinchas then showed the publisher an embarrassing mistake which had crept into his edition - in the topic of Sota in Parashat Nasso, the word MeAsher was printed in place of MeIsh Acher, leaving his mark on this edition for shame, as a man suspected of adultery. (Devar Yom BeYomo, Premishla 1907, p. 110b; Zikaron Tov, Piotrkow 1892, p. 7b). See enclosed material.
[3], 70, 72-91; 78, 77-78, [1] leaves. 40 cm. Condition varies. Most leaves in good-fair condition. Stains, dampstains and wear. Several minor tears repaired with paper. First three leaves in fair-poor condition, with severe stains and dampstains, extensive wear and tears affecting text with some loss, repaired with paper. Creases, damage and many tears to title page (around border), repaired with paper. Censorship stamp and signature dated 1837. Stamps of the Beit Midrash of Bialystok. Old, damaged binding, with tooled inscription: "Chumash Or HaChaim".