[KEIDANER, YAAKOV]. Matzreph HaAvodah. Appended: Letter attributed to Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

(CHASSIDISM)

Gruber & Langrean

Koenigsberg

1858

FIRST EDITION

Vinograd, Koenigsberg 180; Ch. Liberman, Ohel Rachel III, p. 17; N. Lamm, Torah Lishmah (1972), pp.208-212; Y. Mundshein, "The Books Matzref ha-Avodah and Vikucha Rabah," Alei Sefer, Vol. V. pp. 165-75

A polemic debate between a Chassid and a Misnaged concerning Chassidic ideology. This work and the identification of its anonymous author has engendered much confusion among scholars (Dubnow, Zinberg, Deinard, Friedberg and Norman Lamm). It is Mundshein who has correctly identified him as Yaakov Keidaner, a Chabad Chassid and author of other works, including Sipurim Niphla'im. Although the topics of discussion in this debate are certainly relevant to the ideological differences between Chassidim and Misnagdim, certain historical facts and chronology are unreliable and the protagonists are clearly imaginary