Elimelech of Lizhensk. Noam Elimelech [discourses on the Torah]. With additional material entitled Likutei Shoshana and Igereth Hakodesh.

<<EXCEPTIONALLY RARE EDITION.>> The Noam Elimelech is the most profound text of all early Chassidic literature. It was instantly acclaimed upon publication and it has been reprinted scores of times since. An early edition is especially prized for the amuletic powers it is believed to contain. This is the extremely rare second edition (NLI copy incomplete). Stefansky states that there are two variants of this edition, one with the title and introduction printed on a single leaf and another version with two leaves. The present copy contains the introduction on a separate leaf. According to Liberman, the circles on top of many of the letters on the title spell out ‘Shklov’ and the name of the printer. He also speculates that it was published between 1789 and 1795. Friedberg however records 1790 as the date of publication. Porush did not see the title and lists it according to the citation of Liberman. The author, R. Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717-86) was one of the foremost disciples of the Maggid of Mehzritch and a close colleague of R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. Following the death of the Maggid, R. Elimelech became the uncrowned leader of the Chassidic movement, strongly influencing its spread throughout Poland. Most of the Chassidic Rebbes of Galicia and Poland were his disciples. R. Elimelech’s gravesite (Lezajsk, southeastern Poland) is a place of pilgrimage and thousands travel there, particularly for his yohrzeit on 21st Adar.