Dov Baer Of Lubavitch. Bi’urei HaZohar [commentary to the Zohar according to the doctrine of Chabad]. * Appended: Hosaphoth LeSepher Bi’urei HaZohar.

(CHASSIDISM).

S. L. Flecker

Lemberg

1861

FIRST EDITION of Hosaphoth (additional material).

Vinograd, Lemberg 1694; Habermann, Sha’arei Chabad (in Schocken Festschrift) 16; Scholem, Bibliographia Kabbalistica, p. 206, no. 87; Stefansky, Chassiduth 79 (comments).

The publication of Bi’urei HaZohar 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 (d. 1813) and 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 note on the title here, whereby R. Dov Baer had been designated by his father to transcribe the interpretations of the Zohar that he was wont to impart to his sons every Friday night, 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 this edition are the Hosaphoth, or “Additions” published here as a separate work. This scarce copy has the place and date of publication. Many copies do not contain this information, as many thought it wise to omit the place and year of publication due to government censorship policies.