Responsa Mayim Chaim – Zhitomir, 1857 – With Responsum Letter...

Responsa Mayim Chaim – Zhitomir, 1857 – With Responsum Letter from the Baal Shem Tov

Responsa Mayim Chaim, two parts, by R. Chaim HaKohen Rappaport, Rabbi of Ostroh. Zhitomir: R. Chanina Lipa and R. Yehoshua Heshel Shapiro, grandsons of the Rabbi of Slavita, 1857. First edition. With approbations of Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl and the Sar Shalom of Belz.

In Part I, section 27, there is a letter from Mezhibuzh sent to R. Meir (son of R. Yaakov Emden), Rabbi of Konstantin (Konstantynów Łódzki), regarding a kosher issue permitted by the local rabbi but questioned by several prominent members of the community. The signatories to the question include: "Yisrael Baal Shem of Tłuste [Tovste]" – the Baal Shem Tov. R. Meir's lengthy response justifies their concern and disputes the ruling of the Rabbi of Mezhibuzh. The responsum opens with several lines of honorifics and appreciation for the Baal Shem Tov: "chief in Judah and Israel… finder of ailment and cure… extraordinary, celebrated with a high reputation, R. Yisrael…" (the decipherment and interpretation of the lengthy and poetic titles offered at the beginning of this responsum is discussed at length in the scholarly literature).

Both parts of the book are bound together, Part I on Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah, and Part II on Even HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat. Kuntres Otzrot Chaim is printed at the end of Part II, with novellae on Aggadot and pilpul on the Torah portions by the author and his son the publisher. The book also includes responsa from the author's grandfather and uncles, who were leading Torah scholars. At the beginning of the book is printed a letter by the Ohev Yisrael of Apta agreeing with the author's ruling. The letter is printed with the approbations to the book, as a sort of approbation for the author.

84; 151 pages. Two title pages for each part, and an additional title page for Kuntres Otzrot Chaim bound at the end of the book (total of five title pages). Leaf 3 of Part I is bound after leaf 4. 30.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains (many stains on first title page). Creases. Stamps of the "Kollel Kovno library" and additional stamps. New binding.