DOV BAER OF LUBAVITCH. Bi’urei ha-Zohar [commentary to the Zohar according to the doctrine of Chabad]. Appended: Hosaphoth le-Sepher Bi'urei ha-Zohar

THE COPY OF SHLOMO SON OF MEIR RAPHAELS OF VILNA, LEGENDARY DISCIPLE OF ALTER REBBE. The publication of Bi'urei ha-Zohar by R. Dov Baer was part of a multi-faceted literary campaign designed to prove the Author’s rightful claim to the spiritual mantle of his father R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi (deceased 1813), which was hotly contested by R. Aharon Halevi of Starosselje, the disciple who studied under R. Shneur Zalman for no less than thirty years. The advertisement on the title, whereby R. Dov Baer had been designated by his father to transcribe the interpretations of the Zohar he imparted every Friday night to his sons, sent a transparent message to the Chassidim that none other than R. Dov Baer was the rightful spiritual heir. See M. Rosman, Founder of Hasidism (1996), pp. 189-209, especially p. 202. Appended to our copy are the Hosaphoth or Additions published as a separate work at the press of S.L. Flecker in Lemberg in 1861. Due to government censorship, it was thought wise to omit the place and year of publication. See Habermann (Sha'arei Chabad 16 and Scholem). Our copy was once in the possession of R. Shlomo son of Meir Raphaels, as attested to by the many signatures throughout the work. Chassid, philanthropist R. Meir Raphaels of Vilna was one of the first chassidim of the Alter Rebbe, who sacrificed himself (mesiruth nephesh) for the Rebbe. He, together with his friend the Gaon R. Baruch Mordechai of Bobroisk , were taken in chains to the capital, St. Petersburg, but before their arrival, it was determined in Vilna the charges against them were trumped up and they were returned midway. R. Meir Raphaels was the mechutan (relative by marriage) of R. Mordechai of Liepoli because, his son, R. Shlomo Raphaels was the son-in-law of R. Mordechai. R. Shlomo Raphaels of Vilna was also a great chassid of the [Alter] Rebbe; afterwards he was connected (mekushar) to his son, the Mitteler Rebbe, and the "Tzemach Tzedek". Raphaels suffered extensive financial loss when the Mithnagdim of Vilna ransacked his liquor warehouse (see Ch. M. Heilman, Beith Rebbi, Part I [1903], f.73r.) Heilman refutes historians who write that the arrest and imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe was brought about because his two chassidim R. Meir Raphaels and R. Baruch Mordechai [Ettinga] were seen tittering to one another during the course of the funeral of the Vilna Gaon in 1797. Heilman writes such would have been implausible, for despite their differences, the Alter Rebbe instructed his followers to maintain the utmost respect for the Vilna Gaon.