” Shibchei HaBesh”t is the second part of Sefer Tehillim , and it contains a segulah for salvation: My faithful counsel for all generations for when a Jew, Heaven forbid, becomes ill … one chapter should be read to him in the morning and another in the evening …” (The Rebbe, the author of Avodat Yissachar of Waldbroz)
Shibchei HaBesh”t is the first book and most important book of Chassidic legends. It is one of the most popular books, having been printed in several dozens of editions, and it is one of the first Chassidic segulah books! This is the Łaszczów edition, printed at the Yehudah Leib Rabin Stein and Moshe Zucker Press, 1815. One of the first three editions of the book [Kapust, Berdichev and Łaszczów] that were all printed the same year. Incomplete edition.
The Author
Rabbi Dov Ber of Luntz was a close associate of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his family. He was Rabbi Alexander Shochet’s son-in-law, the Ba’al Shem Tov’s scribe for many years. Apparently he also heard many stories from him, and anthologized them from his primary disciples and disciples of these disciples (the ‘Toldot’, the “Ba’al HaTanya’ and others). He revised the texts and proofread them, gave the anthology of stories the form of a book, and called it Shibchei HaBa’al Shem Tov . In the Kapust edition (the first of the three), the author’s name is not mentioned on the title page. In this Łaszczów edition as well, which is identical to the Kapust edition, the author’s name is also not mentioned on the title page. Yet in the Berdichev edition, the author’s name is mentioned in detail: “All these stories were written by one aware of them in truth, [many honorifics] Rabbi Dov Ber son of Rabbi Shmuel Shochet of Luntz, who was a son-in-law of the deceased Chassid [many honorifics] Rabbi Alexander Shochet, who was a quick scribe for the Ba’al Shem Tov for several years before the arrival of the Chassid Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Sofer.”
The First Editions of the Book
In 1815, when the book was printed for the first time, there were three editions of Shibchei HaBesh”t [Kapust, Berdichev and Łaszczów]. Careful examination of the title pages does not reveal which was first, due the fact that the month of print does not appear on the title page, only the year of print. Yet from the dates on the approbations as well as the content of the introductions, it can be determined that the Kapust edition was printed at the beginning of the year and the Berdichev and Łaszczów editions were printed later that same year, after all the Kapust editions had sold out. This is also the reason reprinting was permitted despite the agreed-upon six year period before reprints were permitted without the original printer’s permission. It is important to note that the Kapust edition and this Łaszczów edition are identical, yet the Berdichev edition contained many changes, including omissions and supplements.
Segulah Book
As mentioned, this book is one of the first Chassidic segulah books. It is said in the name of the Admo”r Rabbi Yissachar Dov Berish HaKohen of Wolbruz, author of Avodat Yissaschar , that it was revealed to him from Heaven that the book Shibchei HaBesh”t is the second part of the Book of Psalms, and that it contains a segulah for salvation. He also wrote: “Faithful counsel for all generations for when a Jew, Heaven forbid, becomes ill: If he is able, he himself should read tales of tzaddikim – this is best. And if he cannot, one chapter in the morning and another in the evening should be read in his presence ( Ohel Yissachar , pp. 59-60). This is accepted in Chaba”d Chassidism, as when one of the Tzemach Tzeddek’s daughters-in-law became ill, the Admo”r, the author of Tzemach Tzeddek of Lubavitch, ordered that this book, Shibchei HaBesh”t be read to her, and she recovered. Likewise, there are those who claim that the famous Chassidic segulah for sustenance – to tell tales of the Ba’al Shem Tov on the night following Shabbat – is based on the early segulah of reading from the book Shibchei HaBesh”t .
Controversy about this Book
Mitnagdim and, in contrast, maskilim , joked about the book and claimed that it is full of exaggerations, because the Ba’al Shem Tov is revealed in the book as one who possesses explicit Divine inspiration, and one who understands the languages of beasts and birds, and even, as necessary, as one who revives the dead. Yet Chassidic leaders, led by the Besh”t’s disciple, Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka (despite his having passed away before the printing – yet there were already manuscripts, as is known, many years before), confirmed that all that is written in the book is the absolute truth. The Admo”r the Tzemach Tzeddek of Lubavitch, also accepts this – that what is written in the book Shibchei HaBesh”t is true. And then there is the sharp Chassidic saying: Even if one claims that anyone who believes that all these stories really happened is a fool, one who does not believe that these stories of wonder could really have happened – is an apostate…
Stefansky Chassidut 548.
Provenance of this copy: Yudlov collection.
[1], 32 leaves. Incomplete copy: The title page is lacking, as well as most of leaf 1 (they have been completed by standard photocopy), and leaves 13-14.
Moderate-fine condition: Aging stains. Isolated worming perforations. Blemish with lack in leaf 31. Blemishes on leaf 11 and leaf 32. Simple binding.