LEVI YITZCHAK OF BERDICHEV. Kedushath Levi

THE RARE EDITIO PRINCEPS OF THE KEDUSHATH LEVI, ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL EXPOSITIONS OF CLASSIC CHASSIDIC THOUGHT. R. Levi Yitzchak (1740-1810) was one of the most beloved personalities within Chassidism. In addition to his scholarly achievements, he is known from the many tales told about him as the “Melitz Yosher” of the Jewish nation; a defender par excellence - with boundless compassion even for the most blatant transgressors. Many of his moving prayers and songs in Yiddish such as “Gott funn Avraham” are recited (especially by women) at the Havdalah ceremony to this very day. R. Levi Yitzchak was born to an important family of distinguished lineage. His father, R. Meir was a prominent scholar in his own right (see f. 2v.-3r. for a commentary in the name of “my late departed father, the Gaon” on Tractate Megillah 12a pertaining to Purim). Under the influence of R. Shmelke of Nikolsburg, R. Levi Yitzchak became a disciple of R. Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mezritch. R. Levi Yitzchak served as a Rabbi in a number of towns in Poland and Lithuania (including Zelechov and Pinsk) before moving to Berdichev in 1785. He is credited as being the founder of Chassidism in central Poland, consolidating the Movement in Lithuania and furthering it in the Ukraine. He was very active in defending the Movement from the accusations raised by the Mithnagdim, publicly debating the Rabbi of Brisk, R. Abraham Katzenellenbogen. This first edition Kedushath Levi is the only edition published by R. Levi Yitzchak himself. Later editions were published by his son. The sections of this first edition are known as the “Kedushoth,” which contain lengthy, subtle expositions and clarifications of the “secrets” of the holidays of Purim and Chanukah (four chapters or “Kedushoth” for Purim and five for Chanukah). According to a tradition among Breslover Chasidim, these sections were written by R. Nathan of Nemirov, the scribe of R. Nachman who originally was a disciple of R. Levi Yitzchak. This would indeed seem to be likely as these sections are written in a lengthier, more intricate style than the later sections of the commentary on the Torah which was published by his son. The other sections in this edition contain commentaries on one of the most enigmatic Aggadic portions of the Talmud, the debate between the “Sabei de-Bei Athuna” (the elders of Athens) and R. Yehoshua ben Chanania (Bechoroth 8b). - For example, the first comment in the book is an explanation of the repartee of R. Yehoshua to their riddle, ”If salt has lost its flavor, how can it be salted (i.e. made fit for use)? He replied, “With the afterbirth of a mule.” Can a mule give birth? Can salt get spoiled? R.Levi Yitzchak explained this was not just an amusing jest, but has an underlying relating to the eternal permanence of the Nation of Israel. The Munkatch 1939 edition of the Kedushath Levi states on the title page: “All the holy sages of past generations bore witness that the presence of a Kedushath Levi in a home is a certain “segulah” to protect and rescue it from “Dinim” [harsh judgments]. See Tz.M. Rabinowicz, The Encyclopedia of Hasidism (1996), pp.285-6; S.H. Dresner, The World of a Hasidic Master: Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev (1986)