Noam Elimelech. First Edition. Lvov, 1788
Beautiful copy!
Fundamental Chassidic commentary on Chamishah Chumshei Torah composed by the venerable Chassidic master Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk with the additions of Likutei Shoshanah and Igros Kodesh (a response penned by Rabbi Elimelech’s students to opponents of Chassidus).
Printing of the Noam Elimelech
Noam Elimelech, the sacred, beloved work of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, was first brought to print two years after his petirah by his son, the Admor Rabbi Eliezer Lipa, who printed it at his father’s behest, as written in his preface to the sefer: “ I was commanded with a full order from his holy and pure mouth that after his passing, I shall see to bring it to print, and he told me that there is no greater mitzvah than this.”
Printed by the Hidden Tzaddikim
The present sefer was printed in the press of Rabbi Shlomo Yarish Rappaport, who was famous for employing great tzaddikim to perform the sacred labor of printing holy sefarim. Among these righteous men were several of the 36 hidden tzaddikim of his generation, who completed the printing labor with purity and holiness, while engaged in reciting the kavanos and yichudim (Ohel Elimelech #228).
The Asterisks
One of the unique aspects of the present sefer is the asterisk punctuation, which Chassidic masters throughout the generations revealed that they encompass profound secrets and exalted hidden lessons (ibid). Some profess that each asterisk represents a time when Eliyahu Hanavi revealed himself to Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, or when Rabbi Elimelech experienced an ascension of his soul.
When reading aloud from the Noam Elimelech at his tisch, the Admor Rabbi
Yeshaya’le of Kerestir would pause contemplatively when he reached each one of these asterisks (Mofes Hador p. 119, Comment 49).
The Segulah of
Sefer Noam Elimelech
The Maor VaShemesh writes in Parshas Emor: “ The world was desolate until the two great luminaries entered the world: The Baal Shem Tov and the Admor Rabbeinu Elimelech, and they opened the Gate to Hashem for tzaddikim to enter.”
The saintly Admor Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk is one of the most acclaimed figures in all of Chassidus, second only to the Baal Shem Tov; and his magnum opus, Noam Elimelech, is the most beloved, learned and praised Chassidic sefer of all times.
This first edition of Noam Elimelech is renowned for its marvelous segulos, and it is thus the most desirable sefer of all Chassidic library collectors. Admorim, tzaddikim and Torah giants throughout the generations sought to add this sefer to the shelves of their personal libraries, sparing neither effort nor funds to achieve their goal and usher blessing and goodness into their homes.
A Segulah for Protection
It is well known that keeping this sefer at home is itself a segulah for protection and success, as the Admor Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert, son of the famous Admor Rabbi Chaim of Sanz, expressed in his approbation to a later edition of Noam Elimelech (Munkacs, 1940): “To bring blessing into their homes, and also because it is a great protection for the home.”
The Raayatz of Lubavitch once penned a response regarding printing a new edition of Noam Elimelech: “Surely this is a great endeavor, and with the help of Hashem, there will surely be many buyers, as it guarantees their success” (Igros Kodesh Vol. 5 Letter #367).
There were even tzaddikim who would never embark on any journey without taking a copy of this sefer with them in their pocket or tallis bag (see Noam Elimelech – Gilyonei Mahar”i p. 8).
A Segulah for Easy Childbirth
There is a famous segulah ascribed to great Chassidic masters to place this sefer beside a woman who is enduring a difficult labor, and it has been proven to facilitate the process of labor and childbirth. When the Shem MiShmuel’s wife suffered a difficult labor, his father the Avnei Nezer recommended this segulah, and she delivered safely (Ohel Elimelech, Premishla 1910 #289; Derech Tzaddikim, Pietrekov, 1812 Ch. 7 #58; Shulchan Melachim, Bergsas 1931 p. 38b, Comment 7).
There are also many who observe the custom of placing this sefer beneath the head of an infant on the eve of his bris milah (Shu”t Beer Moshe by Rabbi Moshe Stern, Av Beis Din of Debrecen Vol. 3 Ch. 177).
A Segulah for Parnassah
“It is known that before his passing, Rabbi Elimelech said that one who learns the Noam Elimelech shall merit parnassah, and one who learns it on Shabbos shall merit a neshamah yeseirah” (Maadanei Melech).
A Segulah for Health
The Admor Rabbi Yoel of Satmar invested great effort to give a first-edition copy of the sefer Noam Elimelech to a patient undergoing surgery, for a shemirah (Bnei Beischa, New York, 1993 p. 394, Comment 42).
Similarly, the Admor Rabbi Itzik’l of Pshevorsk instructed a chassid to place a kvittel in the sefer Noam Elimelech, Parshas Beshalach p. 39b upon the verse, “All the plague that I placed in Egypt, I shall not place upon you” (Rabbi Chuna Halperin, Yaffeh Sichasan #141).
Moreover, the sefer Maadanei Melech recounts: “It was accepted among Chassidim that anyone who was sick would place the sefer Noam Elimelech beneath his head, for his merit is great, and many noble Chassidim and tzaddikim would inscribe a note with their request and place it together with a pidyon between the pages of this sacred sefer.”
This edition of Noam Elimelech features the two important additions of Likutei Shoshanah and Igros Kodesh:
1. Likutei Shoshanah – An anthology of Torah and Chassidic lessons.
2. Igros Kodesh – Official response by Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk’s son Rabbi Eliezer Lipa, and his disciple Rabbi Zecharya ben Rabbi Mendel to opponents of Chassidus. This was actually the very first official Chassidic response to the Misnagdim.
This first edition copy of Noam Elimelech is in excellent condition, beautifully bound in a new ornate leather binding and well-preserved in an attractive box. This sefer is known to be exceedingly rare and is virtually one-of-a-kind in its present pristine condition.
To the best of Genazym’s knowledge, there has never been a complete first-edition copy of Noam Elimelech sold on auction in this condition.
Lvov, 1788. First edition. [2] 112 leaves. Page size: 20.5 cm. Minor damage to title page margins and corners professionally restored.
Several light stains. Leaf 28b has a blurry dark ink stain.
Ornate new leather binding.
Stefansky, Chassidus #373; Stefansky, Yesod #378
ATTENTION Buyers premium on this lot is 18% .Final price will be adjusted accordingly on the invoice.
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