Beschreibung:

VeTziva HaKohen, Chassidism, ethics and novellae on Aggadot, by R. Aharon Shmuel HaKohen. Sde Lavan (Bila Tserkva, present day Ukraine), [1823]. First edition. Title page printed in red and black. The beginning of the book consists of the Likutei Milei D'Aggadta section - Torah thoughts the author heard from his teachers, foremost Chassidic leaders, R. Pinchas of Koritz and the Maggid of Mezeritch, from his father R. Naftali Hertz HaKohen, and more. This book is an important basis for the study of the Chassidic doctrine, as it records many teachings heard firsthand from early Chassidic leaders. The main part of the book is comprised of 29 chapters, and is an ethical will written by the author R. Aharon Shmuel to his son R. Chaim Moshe. The book contains advice on living a correct life of joyful worship of G-d. He also deals extensively with Segulot for longevity, due to the family tradition which traced their lineage to the sons of Eli, who were destined to pass away at a young age (see chapter 13 onwards). The author quotes Chassidic teachings he heard in the name of the Baal Shem Tov and other Chassidic leaders. He also records his biography and various episodes which occurred in his lifetime. This book was extremely rare for many years, and was first reprinted only in 1953, in Jerusalem. R. Aharon Shmuel son of R. Naftali Hertz HaKohen (1740-1814, Encyclopedia of Chassidut, I, pp. 198-200), a disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch and R. Pinchas of Koritz. He was first appointed to succeed his father-in-law as rabbi of Stepan, and then served in the famous Kloiz in Ostroh. He later served as rabbi of Yampol (position held by the Noda BiYehuda before he moved to serve as rabbi of Prague), and at the end of his life, he moved to Sde Lavan, where his father had served as rabbi. He relates several times in his book of his frequenting the courts of his teachers, the Maggid of Mezeritch and R. Pinchas of Koritz. R. Aharon Shmuel authored other books, but most were burned in fires in his home towns. Many signatures and inscriptions on the title page ("Chaim Yechiel Landau of Berditchov" and others). Censorship stamp. Ownership inscription on the verso of the title page and on the approbation leaf: "Belongs to the philanthropist R. Tzvi son of R. Yoel Maklier of Berditchov". [2], 16, 20-47, 47-74, 76-77 leaves. 20.5 cm. Mostly printed on light-blueish paper. Good-fair condition. Large tears to inner margins of title page and subsequent leaf, repaired with paper. Stains and wear. Dampstains in several places. Worming. New binding. Stefansky Chassidut, no. 193. The Bibliography of the Hebrew Book records [3] leaves at the beginning of the book, yet in the copies known to us there are only [2] leaves at the beginning of the book (as listed in the catalog of the NLI, as well as in the Otzar HaChochma copy). Otzar HaSefer HaIvri of Vinograd-Rosenfeld also only lists [2] leaves at the beginning, and so it appears from Beit Eked Sefarim by Friedberg. A count of the gatherings shows no lacking leaves. Less than five Hebrew titles were ever printed in Sde Lavan. The true name of the town - Bila Tserkva, means "White Church". The Jews nicknamed it Sde Lavan (White Field), and it was sometimes euphemistically referred to in Yiddish as "Schwartze Tumme".