Birkat David (Buchach) – Lviv, 1845 – First Edition

Birkat David (Buchach) – Lviv, 1845 – First Edition

Birkat David, Chassidic commentaries on the Five Books of the Torah, by Rebbe Avraham David Wahrman of Buchach. Lviv, [1845]. First edition.
On the verso of the title page is printed the verse "The Torah of the Lord is perfect" in large letters, below which it is noted that the approbations were not printed "for a secret reason". Apparently, the omission of approbations was also part of the obfuscation of printing details, for the same reason that a false printer and date were given in the title page – see below.

Rebbe Avraham David Wahrman, the "Gaon of Buchach" (1770-1840, Encyclopedia LaChassidut I, pp. 68-72), a leading Torah scholar and Chassidic figure, and prominent posek in his times. At about the age of nine, R. Meshulam Igra had a Torah discussion with him and declared that this boy would become a phenomenal posek, an example to all the rabbis of his generation. After his marriage, he embraced Chassidut and became close to the most eminent rebbes of his times: R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, R. Moshe Leib of Sassov, R. Chaim of Czernowitz and R. Tzvi Hirsh of Nadvorna. Around the age of 20, he was appointed rabbi of the city of Yazlovets.

Reputedly, R. Meir of Premishlan passed through the city and sensed holiness emanating from the place, which he attributed to the merit of R. Avraham David. In 1814, he was appointed rabbi of Buchach, succeeding his father-in-law and teacher R. Tzvi Hirsh Kara, Rabbi of Buchach and author of Neta Shaashuim. He was renowned as an outstanding Torah scholar and tzaddik. He wrote many books, including: Daat Kedoshim on Yoreh Deah, Ezer MiKodesh on Even HaEzer, Kesef HaKodashim on Choshen Mishpat, Birkat David on the Torah, and more. His halachic works became classics in halachic rulings. His work Eshel Avraham on Orach Chaim was printed in many editions of the Shulchan Aruch and is cited thousands of times in halachic literature (this book is usually called Eshel Avraham Buchach, to differentiate it from an earlier work with the same title).

[2], 182 leaves. 23.5 cm. Bluish paper. Fair-good condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text. Stamp on title page. New leather binding.

False imprint on title page for Jihdas Rosanis, 1800 and 5565. The true date of printing is hinted at the end of the book, where the signature of the publisher contains a chronogram for 1845. This type of falsification was common in Chassidic books printed in Galicia at that time, due to censorship restrictions and the persecution of Chassidim by the Haskalah movement (A. Yaari lists 16 books with similar false imprints; see: A. Yaari, The Printing Press of Rebbetzin Yehudit Rosanes in Lviv, Kiryat Sefer, XVII, 1940, p. 107, no. 43 [Hebrew]).