Matzaref HaAvodah, "is a debate that has been going on for about seventy-two years between the two greats of the generation, one from the Hasidic community and the other from the opposition …", with a letter from Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Ladi [regarding the debate with the Gra’H].
As is well known, the "argument" between the Chassid and the Misnagdim, described in detail in the book, did not take place in reality and was written entirely by a Chabad Chassid named Rabbi Yaakov Kadanir in order to justify the Chassidic system.
At the end of the book, for the first time, a scathing letter was printed by the Alte Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Ladi, about his desire to debate with the Gra’H. Some scholars have argued that the letter is a forgery, and just as the "argument" in the book never took place, so the letter was never written. But in fact, the letter has already appeared earlier in copies made already in the life of the Alte Rebbe, and this book is not the first source for this letter.
Königsberg, 1858.
Original binding, Title Pg. missing top left corner along with the first page, on the last page the top corner missing affecting text.
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