(KALONYMUS KALMAN EPSTEIN, AUTHOR OF MAOR VASHEMESH). Samuel Salir. Chidushei Shem MiShmuel [Part I: Commentary on Torah; Part II: Novellae on Talmud]

rare signature of major chassidic leader. Known as the Maor VaShemesh, R. Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi Epstein (1754-1823) was one of the most revered and influential of Chassidic leaders. A disciple of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, the Chozeh of Lublin, R. Yisrael of Koznitz, R Mendel of Rimanov, R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov and originally from "Ir Chadash" (Neustadt), in 1785 he established a chassidic shtiebel in Cracow, in the old synagogue of R. Nathan Nata Shapiro (author of Megaleh Amukoth). His famed work, Maor VaShemesh was first published in 1842 with an approbation by R. Aryeh Leib Lipschitz, the author of Aryeh Devei Illai, who also suggested the title. Since then it has enjoyed enormous popularity and has been reprinted numerous times, constantly cited in many works to this day. In addition to its Chassidic content, the work is renowned due to many profound psychological and sociological insights. The son of the Maor VaShemesh, R. Joseph Baruch of Neustadt was also a great Tzadik and miracle worker known as "The Guter Yid." R. Chaim Halberstam of Sanz said of him: "His recital of Psalms is more important in heaven than my study of the Talmud." The work Shem MiShmuel itself is also significant, it contains approbations from many luminaries including R. Moshe Teitelbaum (author of Yismach Moshe) and R. Naphtali of Ropschitz. The author was Rosh Beth Din of Lemberg. The printer, Shlomo Yarish Rappaport was responsible for the first appearance of the celebrated Noam Elimelech in 1788.