First edition, octavo, 14 pp., 182:113 mm., wide margins, usual age staining. A very good copy not bound.

Three important Hasidic works in one volume:

1. A request to Czar Pavel, written during his incarceration in St. Petersburg, by R. Shneur Zalman of Lyady (1745–1813), founder of Habad Hasidism. According to family traditions he was born in Liozna, Belorussia, on the 18th of Elul. After his marriage in 1760 he devoted himself to Torah study. Concluding that he knew "a little about learning, but nothing about prayer" in 1764 he decided to learn about Hasidism from R. Dov Baer the Maggid of Mezhirech, leader of the hasidic movement. In Mezhirech he became one of the inner circle of the Maggid's pupils. He also studied as a friend and pupil with Abraham b. Dov Baer. Although R. Shneur Zalman was one of the youngest pupils, the Maggid had a high opinion of him, and in 1770 delegated to him the task of composing a new and up-to-date Shulhan Arukh. Shneur Zalman worked on this book for many years, but published only small parts of it. About one-third was printed posthumously (the rest had been destroyed by fire) and is known as the "Shulhan Arukh of the Rav" (1814). Though not a hasidic work, it represents - as the Maggid had intended - a great halakhic achievement. It evidences R. Shneur Zalman's superb Hebrew style, his ability to provide lucid explanation, and profundity without complexity. It became an authoritative halakhic source among the Hasidim of Lubavich. In 1774, during the early period of the opposition to Hasidism by traditional Jewry, R. Shneur Zalman and R. Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk went to Vilna in an attempt to meet with R. Elijah b. Solomon, the Gaon of Vilna, and reach some kind of understanding between the Hasidim and Mitnaggedim, but the Gaon did not agree to meet them. After R. Menahem Mendel went to Erez Israel with many of his followers, R. Shneur Zalman was left with two others as a deputy leader in Rydzyna (Reisen, Belorussia and adjoining areas). In 1788 R. Menahem Mendel formally appointed Shneur Zalman as hasidic leader of Reisen: this was really only a post facto appointment, as he already had many devoted personal pupils. It had become apparent that R. Shneur Zalman had created a distinct type of Hasidism, to become known as Habad.

R. Shneur Zalman was one of the great Jewish personalities of his age, as great a scholar in talmudic studies as in Kabbalah. He had a wide knowledge of science and mathematics, and his powers as a systematizer were enhanced by a fine style. Yet he was also a mystic, and deeply emotional; he composed hasidic melodies and was a charismatic leader. All these qualities blended in a strangely harmonious way. His work is masterly on every subject, an almost unique combination of mysticism and common sense. His other important works are Likkutei Torah (Zhitomir, 1848), Torah Or (1836), and Ma'amarei Admor ha-Zaken (1958–60).

2. Letter written upon his exit from incarceration by R. Levi Yitzchok b. Meir of Berditchev (c. 1740–1810), hasidic zaddik and rabbi; one of the most famous personalities in the third generation of the hasidic movement. He was one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, and of his disciple Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg, whom he succeeded as rabbi of Ryczywół.

Reb Levi Yitzchok was known as the "defense attorney" for the Jewish people, because it was believed that he could intercede on their behalf before God. Known for his compassion for every Jew, he was therefore one of the most beloved leaders of Eastern European Jewry. He authored the Hasidic classic Kedushas Levi, which is a commentary on many Jewish religious books and laws, and is arranged according to the weekly Torah portion. He is considered by some to be the founder of Hasidism in central Poland. R. Levi Yitzchok was known to have a very close relationship with the famous R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad Rebbe. R. Levi Yitzchok composed some popular Hasidic religious folk songs, including A Dude'le and "The Kaddish of Rebbe Levi Yitzchok (A din Toyre mit Gott)."

3. Commentary to the Scroll of Ruth by  R. Aaron b. Moses ha-Levi Hurwitz of Strashele (c. 1766-1828) was the leading disciple of R. Shneur Zalman of Liady and served him for thirty years. He was born in Osvei, White Russia. After his rebbe’s death the R. Aaron became Hasidic rebbe of Strashele, and many Lubavicher Hasidim became his followers. He passed on on Shmeini Azeret in Strashele. He also Shaar ha-Yihud ve-ha-Emunah (Shklov 1820); Shaar Avidah (Shklov 1821) both being extensive commentaries on the Tanya. The author states in the preface that the work is not his own novellae but rather an explanation of the teachings of his rebbe.

Hebrew Description

כולל... א. כתב בקשה להמלך פאוויל קיסר רוסיא, אשר שלחו... מרן שניאור זלמן... מלאדי... אשר כתבה בעת ישבו במאסר בפ"ב [בפטרבורג]... ור' ברחמיו נתן חנו בעיני המלך וקיבל כתב הלז באהבה ופטר אותו לשלום,

ב. אגרת הקודש... שכתב להגאון... ר' לוי יצחק האבד"ק ברדיטשוב... בעת צאתו מבית האסורים...

ג. ביאור מגילת רות (ע"ד הרמז) מהרב... אהרן הלוי הורוויץ מסטראשעלע... אשר יצק מים שלשים שנה ע"י... הרב מלאדי... ג דברים הנ"ל לא באו מעולם לדפוס רק בכ"י היו ספונים...

שנת הדפוס על-פי וינר, קהלת משה, עמ' 136, מס' 1074.
"כתב בקשה... אשר שלחו... מרן שניאור זלמן" - בהקדמה להוצאת ברוקלין תש"ז כותב המו"ל שכתב בקשה זה נכתב ע"י האדמו"ר ר' דוב בר בשנת תקפ"ז בהיותו אסור אז בוויטבסק, ויוחס בטעות לר' שניאור זלמן.

CD-EPI 0181093; EJ; JE; Wikipedia