ELIMELECH OF LIZHENSK. No’am Elimelech [homilies to the Chumash]. With “Likutei Shoshanah” and “Igereth HaKodesh”

(CHASSIDISM).

(Moshe Shapiro)

Slavuta

1794

Second complete edition. A wide-margined copy.

Vinograd, Slavuta 14.

Complete Early Edition of Chassidic Classic: The No'am Elimelech. First printed in Lemberg in 1788, this classic text of Polish Chassidism went through several editions within a. relatively short span of time. Published by the author's nephew, R. Yisrael Avraham, the son of R. Meshulam Zushye of Annapoli, the book. bears the latter's Haskomah. Indeed, according to Chassidic tradition, it was R. Zushye who first introduced his brother R. Elimelech to R. Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mehzritch and successor to the Baal Shem Tov. Of importance are the two letters appended to the work (ff. 146v.-150v) that respond to anti-Chassidic polemics. The first, penned by R. Elazar at the behest of his father R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, discusses controversy surrounding the Rabbi of Zhelichov (i.e. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev); the second by R. Zechariah Mendel (nephew of R. Shmelke of Nikolsburg) is a letter in defense of ascetic practices. R. Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717-87) founded the Polish school of Chassidism. His disciples included R. Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta, R. Ya’akov Yitzchak Horowitz - the Chozeh of Lublin, R. Yisrael of Kozhnitz and R. Mendel of Rymanov. It was R. Elimelech who founded the doctrine of Tzadikism: Raising the Chassidic master to a place of centrality in Jewish life. See Y. Alfasi, Ha-Chassiduth (1977) p. 25; Entziklopedia LaChassiduth, Vol. I, col. 282; Tz. M. Rabinowicz, The Encyclopedia of Hasidim (1996) pp. 111, 563.