Sefer Kenesseth HaGedolah VeDivrei Chachamim.
Lemberg, 1869. Only Edition.
32, 25-80 pp. 19 Cm.
Central work of the huge dispute among Sanz Chassidim opposing Rabbi Dov Ber (Berenyu) of Leova, son of Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin. It sides with the opinion of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz and his supporters, and includes, on the one hand, letters from leading rabbis opposing Sadigura Chassidism, and on the other hand, letters from rabbis objecting to the insult to the Divrei Chaim’s honor. The title page states the year of print using a chronogram [סורו טמא קראו].
This rare pamphlet concerns the controversy between the two Galician Chassidic dynasties of Sanz and Sadigora. At the center of the controversy lies the tragic figure of R. Dov Baer Friedman of Liova (1817-76) – son of R. Yisrael Friedman, the famed Rebbe of Rhizin (and later Sadigor) – who turned from Chassidic Rebbe to Maskil. This act, seen as apostasy, brought down the wrath of R. Chaim Halberstam of Sanz upon the entire Rhiziner dynasty. When in turn, Nissan Bak and other Rhiziner Chassidim in Jerusalem declared a cherem on R. Chaim Halberstam, numerous outraged rabbinical figures (including many Mithnagdic rabbis) rose to the defense of their colleague, R. Chaim Halberstam, considered one of the "Poskei Hador."
The Sanz-Sadigura dispute was one of the most terrible intra-Chassidic disagreements. It included paskevillim and the most severe accusations – from both sides – about the most horrible sins. The affair is enshrouded in fog; more is hidden than is known. Official Chassidic literature hardly mentions it. It is only whispered about between scholars of Chassidism.
Many sefarim and pashkevillim were published at the time by both sides of the dispute, but as historian Dr. Yitzchak Raphael, one of the last two deal with the topic, writes in his sefer on Chassidut and Chassidim, (Jerusalem, 1991): "The inciteful lampoons and booklets were burnt and destroyed over time, along with the mutually denouncing posters. All are presently hard-to-find, and there is probably not even a single remaining complete copy." Here is a rare copy that survived the burnings and destruction!
For details concerning this controversy, see Y. Raphael, Aresheth, Vol. VI pp. 211-21 and especially D. Assaf, Hezitz VeNifga (2012). Various attempts have been made to solve the mystery of the identity of the editor (Rama”z), see S. Chajes, Otzar Beduyei Hashem, p. 290 and Ch. Liberman, Ohel Rachel III, pp. 400-405 especially n. 8.
For more about the author, refer to G. Adar, Medinah V’Chachamehah, New York, 1934, p. 61, which opines that it is Naftali Hertz Goldstein.
Overall Fair condition, water stains, some marginal tears, title page missing at the top, later new binding
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