Likutei Torah (Arizal) – Copy of the Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch, with His Signature – Lviv, 1854

Likutei Torah (Arizal) – Copy of the Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch, with His Signature – Lviv, 1854

Likutei Torah Neviim UKetuvim, with Taamei HaMitzvot – the teachings of the Arizal by his disciple R. Chaim Vital. Lemberg (Lviv): M.F. Poremba, 1854.
Copy of Rebbe Shmuel Schneersohn, the Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch, who purchased it in his youth and during the lifetime of his father, the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch – his signature appears on the title page: "Shmuel – son of my father and master – Schneersohn", with the blessing for the living following the mention of his father. To the right of the signature, the Maharash adds in his handwriting the cost of the book: "for the price of 68" [compare the signature of the Maharash to the title page of Pardes Rimonim, Korets 1786, in the Chabad Library (a photocopy of which appears in R. Shalom Dovber Levine, "Lubavitch Library", Brooklyn, 1993, p. 40 [Hebrew]; "Exhibition of the Lubavitch Library", Brooklyn 1994, p. 28 [Hebrew]). This book was also purchased by Maharash in his youth and during the lifetime of his father the Tzemach Tzedek, and he adds the price of the book next to his signature].

R. Shmuel Schneersohn, the Rebbe Maharash (1834-1882), the fourth Chabad Rebbe, was the youngest son of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. Already in his father's lifetime he began to deal in community affairs and traveled often to Kyiv and St. Petersburg in order to agitate for Russian Jewry and foil various decrees made against them. He also visited various countries all over Europe in order to meet communal leaders and to act to improve the conditions of Jews. After the passing of the Tzemach Tzedek in 1866, he succeeded him as leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty (four of his older brothers established their own Chassidic courts in Kopust, Liadi, Niezhin and Avrutch).
The Rebbe Maharash was deeply fond of ancient books and manuscripts, and especially of the manuscripts of his predecessors, the rebbes of Chabad. Already in his youth, during his father's lifetime, he had begun collecting rare manuscripts and books, some of which he would arrange and bind by hand, adding a special sticker where he wrote their names and contents. After the passing of his father the Tzemach Tzedek, he inherited part of his library and manuscripts, and began to expand his library over the years of his leadership (on the collection of books and writings of the Rebbe Maharash, see at length: R. Shalom Dovber Levine, "Lubavitch Library", pp. 36-42 [Hebrew]).

[1], 2-44, [45-118]; 34 leaves. Misfoliation. Approx. 20 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming to binding and a few leaves. Creases and wear. Uneven trimming. Old binding, damaged and worn; missing spine.

Exceptionally rare. To the best of our knowledge, the autograph of the Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch has never appeared in a public auction before.