Chassidut: Pri Ha’aretz by Rabbeinu Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk. Kopys, 1814. First Edition.

Chassidut: Pri Ha’aretz by Rabbeinu Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk. Kopys, 1814. First Edition.

Illuminator of eyes, Holy man of G-d, Candle of Israel, Wonder of the generation. These are but a few of the praises that Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuzh, grandson on the Besht, wrote to Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk. Rabbi Menachem Mendel was closely connected to the Besht. In Rabbi Menachem Mendel’s letters that are printed at the end of this book appears the famous sentence:

“The word of G-d is in the hand of the Ba’al Shem; he decrees, he utters, and it comes to pass. He is one and only, and since the early ones there has been none like him, and who after him will be like him.”

Pri Ha’aretz includes elucidations on the Parshiyot as per Chassidic tradition, and extraordinary, holy compositions on Avodat Hashem by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, the primary disciple of the Besht and one of the greatest disseminators of Torat HaChassidut.

The elucidations on Parshiyot Bereishit – Lech Lecha, and the esoteric meaning of the Mikve are authored by Rabbi Avraham HaMalach, son of the Maggid of Mezeritch.

In 1777, Rabbi Menachem Mendel emigrated to the Holy Land, setting up a foothold of the Chassidic movement there. Despite being geographically far away from his brethren in the diaspora, Rabbi Menachem Mendel maintained a close connection with them through letters and emissaries.

The letters at the end of the book are an integral part of the book, and are fundamental chapters dealing with the Chassidic movement and Torat HaChassidut.

The first letter that dates back to 1778, as well as part of the second, deals with the dispute between the Chassidim and Mitnagdim, which was then at its zenith. The letter is full of reconciliation and appeasement. The other letters are focused on Rabbi Menachem Mendel’s emigration to the Holy Land, along with its trials and tribulations, supporting its inhabitants through the ‘Shiklei HaKodesh’, words of encouragement, guidance and ethics in the service of G-d for those brethren that remained behind in Russia, and were persecuted by the non-Jews. Some of the letters include additions from his disciple, Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk.

Kopys, 1814. First Edition.

[2], 27, 8 pages. Lovely copy, only missing the last page. A few pages are repaired.

Otzar Hasefer Computerized Database, No. 59280.