Mayim Chayim, Zhitomir. First Edition. With a "Letter" from the Ba'al Shem Tov. Five Title Pages

Mayim Chayim, Zhitomir. First Edition. With a "Letter" from the Ba'al Shem Tov. Five Title Pages

Sefer Mayim Chayim - book of responsa by the gaon Rabbi Chaim HaKohen Rapoport, av beit din of Ostroh, whose tales of wonder together with the Ba'al Shem Tov shook the world. Two parts bound together with separate title pages. Printed by the rabbi of Slavuta's grandsons Rabbi Chanina Lipa and Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Shapira at their press in Zhitomir, 1857. First edition. Complete copy with all five title pages, including the one in color. There is a rare halachic responsum (!) from the Ba'al Shem Tov in this book, with his rare signature. Important segulah and Chassidic work.

The book's author, the sacred gaon Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, was responsible for many of the Chassidic tales of wonder, especially together with the Ba'al Shem Tov. These tales shook up the Chassidic world for generations (refer to the  biography in the Hebrew text). He is considered a kohen of proven lineage, and to this day there are many (mainly among Brisk and Chazon Ish circles) who are particular to take only a kohen definitely known to be from the Rapoport family when they perform a pidyon haben. Rabbi Chaim Rapoport was the one who sat at the head of the beit din that heard the case between the printers in Berdichev and those in Slavuta regarding who had the rights to print the book Chok L'Yisrael.

The book is adorned with many approbations, including from the patriarchs of Chassidism: Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl, the "Sar Shalom" of Belz, and Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta. Book contents: Responsa on the four parts of Shulchan Aruch. In the margins: "Kuntress Otzrot Chaim" (with a dedicated title page) containing Torah novellae in the order of the weekly Torah portions by the author and his family.

In Part I, siman 27, there is a question printed that was sent from Mezhibuzh to Rabbi Meir, av beit din of Constantin, son of Rabbi Ya'akov Emden - the Ya'avetz, regarding a question about scarring, and as a result of the halachic decision, which turned into a huge dispute. "Due to the size of the conflagration that resulted from it, " they turned to Rabbi Meir with the question. A description of the event opens the responsum, after which the beit din wrote, with a signature from 'Yisrael Besh"t [Ba'al Shem] of Talist' - an extraordinarily rare and early signature from the light of the seven seas, Rabbeinu Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov. Later on is the lengthy responsum by Rabbi Meir, in which he describes the Ba'al Shem Tov: "Leader among the Jewish people ... the accomplished, exalted and famous Besh"t [Ba'al Shem] Rabbi Yisrael ..."

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the sacred gaon Rabbi Chaim HaKohen Rapoport.

Along the length of the book are many scholarly comments in Ashkenazic script, most lengthy and from the time of printing. The glosses are not signed. On the flyleaf, the title page and the last page are stamps, owners' signatures and many notations, some undecipherable. The identifiable names include: "Shabtai Sheftel HaLevi Horowitz"; "Be"H the youth Aharon HaKohen"; "Chaim Tzvi Braun." Interesting notation on the front flyleaf: "Refuah Shlemah" - apparently a segulah for someone who was ill.

84 pp; 151 p. 33 cm. Stefansky Chassidut no. 341.

Fine condition. Aging stains. Isolated worming perforations. The margins of the last four leaves are cropped, without any damage to the text. Partially detached binding with lack in the spine.