Toldot Yaakov Yosef – The First Chassidic Book to be Printed – First Edition – Korets, 1780 – Segulah Book

Toldot Yaakov Yosef – The First Chassidic Book to be Printed – First Edition – Korets, 1780 – Segulah Book

Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Chassidic commentary on the Torah, by R. Yaakov Yosef HaKohen of Polonne. Korets: Tzvi Hirsh son of Aryeh Leib [Margolies] and his son-in-law Shmuel son of Yissachar Ber Segal, [1780]. First edition.
Toldot Yaakov Yosef, the first Chassidic book to be printed, was authored by the kabbalist R. Yaakov Yosef HaKohen of Polonne (d. Tishrei 1781 – Chassidic lore records his birth in the 1660s, ascribing him a life of close to 120 years), a leading and close disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the first to disseminate Chassidut. This book is the most important and authentic source of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings, containing over 280 references to teachings the author personally heard from the Baal Shem Tov, emphasized throughout the book and beginning with the words "I heard from my master".
This book was especially cherished by Chassidic leaders, who ascribed it great holiness. The Maggid of Mezeritch commended the author as having merited revelation of Eliyahu and reached lofty heights. R. Pinchas of Korets attested that a book of such stature has never yet existed, and its teachings originate from Heaven. He would customarily say that all new books do not totally conform with the truth, except for the books of the rabbi of Polonne which are "teachings from Paradise", and that with each quotation "heard from my master" one can resurrect the dead[!]. The Saba of Shpoli would recommend putting this book under the head of an ill person as a Segulah (LaYesharim Tehilla).
When R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk immigrated to Eretz Israel, he met on the way R. Pinchas of Korets who queried "Why did the rabbi from Polonne print one thousand books at the price of one gold coin per book; had he printed a single book, I would have paid for it a thousand gold coins…".
During the course of the battle against Chassidut, this first edition was publicly burned in Brody and other places, which accounts for the extreme scarcity of this edition (Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, II, p. 277).
Ownership inscription on the title page: "I acquired it at the auction of R. Yitzchak [---] – Shmuel Sanvil son of [--] Tzvi, shochet and bodek of Keshniv [---]".

[1], 202 leaves. 31 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of past dampness (several leaves with many large stains). Wear. Large open tears to title page, affecting text on both sides of leaf, repaired with paper (with handwritten text replacement). Open tears in several other places, slightly affecting text. Worming, affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Leaves trimmed with damage to headings (loss of headings on two leaves). Stamps. New leather binding.

The Books of Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polonne – "Teachings from Paradise"
The books of R. Yaakov Yosef of Polonne, author of Toldot Yaakov Yosef, are the most important and authentic source of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings, containing hundreds of references to teachings the author personally heard from the Baal Shem Tov, emphasized throughout the books and beginning with the words "I heard from my master".
This book was especially cherished by Chassidic leaders, who ascribed it great holiness. The Maggid of Mezeritch commended the author as having merited revelation of Eliyahu and reached lofty heights. R. Pinchas of Korets attested that a book of such stature has never yet existed, and its teachings originate from Heaven. He would customarily say that all new books do not totally conform with the truth, except for the books of the rabbi of Polonne which are "teachings from Paradise", and that with each quotation "heard from my master" one can resurrect the dead[!].
The present catalog presents the first editions of three books by R. Yaakov Yosef of Polonne, printed in Korets in three consecutive years (1780, 1781 and 1782): Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Ben Porat Yosef and Tzofnat Pane'ach (items 39-41).