Ma'or VaShemesh - First Edition, Breslau, 1842 - Including Two "False" Title Pages, Lemberg, 1745

Ma'or VaShemesh - First Edition, Breslau, 1842 - Including Two "False" Title Pages, Lemberg, 1745
Ma'or VaShemesh, both parts. [Breslau, 1842]. First edition. On both title pages are false dates and false name of the printer: "Printed by Rebbetzin Yehudit Rubinstein in 1785". On the title page of Part 2 is a handwritten signature: "Yehuda Yosef Reich".
Ma'or VaShemesh on the Torah is one of the basic books of Chassidic thought and in many editions, it is printed together with the Chumash (the Rav Pninim edition). The author is Rabbi Klonimus Kalman HaLevi Epstein of Cracow (1751-1823), an exceptional Torah prodigy proficient in revealed and hidden Torah and leading disciple of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, whom R. Epstein revered and considered on the level of the Ba'al Shem Tov himself. He also periodically travelled to the courts of R. Yechiel Michel of Złoczew and R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv. After the death of his teacher R. Elimelech, he would travel to the Chozeh of Lublin, to R. Ber of Radoszyce, to the Magid of Koznitz and to R. Mendeli of Rymanów. Already in his own times, he was renowned as a holy man and was reputed for the revelations of ruach hakodesh he merited and the wonders he performed. His teacher R. Elimelech of Lizhenk crowned him Rebbe; he was the first to spread Chassidism in the city of Cracow and many of his followers became prominent Chassidic leaders. The Mitnagdim in Cracow pursued him and even announced a cherem (ban) on Chassidism in 1786. After this pursuit led to his imprisonment, Rabbi Kalman returned to his native city of Neustadt and established his court there. In 1820, he returned to Cracow, died several years later and is buried there.
[2], 144 leaves; [1], 145-277, [2] leaves. Approximately 23 cm. White-greenish paper. Wide margins. Good-fair condition. Soft, worn paper, many dampstains. Tears and damages. Few restorations and reconstructed text to the first leaves and to Leaves 134-135. Elaborate leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 307. Some copies have different title pages: copies with a title page only for Part 1, copies with a falsified name of the printer but with a correct date - 1842), copies with the real title pages with the date 1842 and place of printing "Breslau in the printing press of R' Hirsh Sulzbach". This is a unique copy with both "false" title pages with all the details: "From the printing press of Ms. Yehudit Rubinstein, in 1785".