Orach LaChaim – Berdychiv, 1817 – First Edition

Orach LaChaim – Berdychiv, 1817 – First Edition
Orach LaChaim, kabbalistic and Chassidic homilies on the Torah in five parts, by Rebbe Avraham Chaim of Żelechów. [Berdychiv: R. Yisrael Bak, 1817]. First edition.
Interesting approbations by Chassidic leaders: R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev (who writes: "This book was written by a titan among giants, and was written in purity and holiness"); R. Yisrael of Kozhnitz (who concludes: "My prayer is always on my lips before G-d our Redeemer, that it should be His will that we shall serve him day and night and gather strength until the day on which he will give us joy just as the days we were afflicted, and he will bring us to his Holy Mountain"); R. Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh of Lublin (who writes: "Although I do not usually conduct myself in greatness, because a person knows himself and I am neither a rabbi or a Maggid, however… out of my love of G-d, I greatly love every Jew and most certainly tzaddikim, therefore I am writing an approbation…"); R. Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apta; R. Chaim of Botoșani (author of Siduro Shel Shabbat).
The author, R. Avraham Chaim of Żelechów (ca. 1726-1816; Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, I, pp. 80-81), was one of the greatest Torah scholars and Chassidim in his generation. He was the son of R. Gedalia Rabbi of Zhovkva, and the son-in-law of R. Pinchas Horowitz, the Haflaah. Through his second marriage he came to be the son-in-law of R. Yissachar Dov of Zlotshev (Zolochiv), the author of Bat Eini. He was a disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch, of R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotshev, of the Haflaah and of his brother R. Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg.
This book opens with a long introduction by R. Efraim Zalman Margolies of Brody, which ends with praise for the author: "… He was great in Torah and Chassidut, spent most of his day in prayer, involved himself extensively in charity and good deeds and brought many to repentance. He knew esoteric wisdom and the hidden facets of the Torah". R. Avraham Chaim once sent a letter to the Ohev Yisrael of Apta requesting that the Ohev Yisrael pray for his recovery, to which the Ohev Yisrael replied that he was surprised by the request, since a person such as R. Avraham Chaim can certainly pray for himself and be sure that his prayers will be answered (Igrot HaOhev Yisrael, Igeret 23b). The author himself prepared the book Orach Chaim for print, between 1804 and 1814, and himself received approbations from many leading Chassidic masters. However, he did not merit seeing his book in print; it was finally printed in 1817, a year after his passing.
52; 59; 29; 37; 31 leaves. Approx. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Large dampstains to many leaves. Repaired worming in several places. Many tears and damages to the first two leaves, repaired with paper. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 34.