Prayer service for the whole year with the Ar”i’s intentions, by R’ Asher, son of the late … R’ Shlomo Zalman Margaliot. First edition of the K’Gavna prayer for Shabbat night. Printed by the same printers (hidden tzaddikim) who printed the Noam Elimelech – first printing – at the Jarush Rapaport Press. Lvov, 1787. Handwritten glosses. Lacking 29 leaves.
Before us is the siddur known as Siddur R’ Asher , which is one of the first Kabbalistic siddurim of Chassidic doctrine and disciples of the Ba’al Shem Tov. Its author, Rabbi Asher Margaliot, was a renowned Kabbalist, and one of the leading sages of the famous Brody kloiz, as well as primary disciple of Rabbi Chaim Sanzer (I), head of the kloiz in Brody. This siddur was very important in the eyes of Chassidic tzaddikim, who made efforts to pray from it (see below regarding Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz). Printed for the first time in this siddur is the recitation of K’Gavna on the eve of Shabbat, thereafter customarily recited by all Chassidic communities. (Individual books that were printed a few years previously briefly mention that there are those who are accustomed to recite K’Gavna, without the full text. In contrast, the siddur before us instructs: “It is proper to recite” [“יש לומר”] and cites the entire text from the Zohar .) The siddur was printed in Lvov in 1788 at Rabbi Shlomo Jarush Rapoport’s press. That same year, he printed the book Noam Elimelech in its first edition. It is accepted that workers at this press were among the 36 hidden tzaddikim of their generation.
Rabbi Asher writes in the preface to the siddur that he is citing that which he received from his teacher, “The great and famous luminary, the G-dly Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Sanzer, z”l of Brody, who I attended and studied with, especially this awesome true wisdom” and he then explains that this was the reason he dared to change things printed in earlier editions of Siddur HeAr”i . At the beginning of the siddur, there are approbations printed from the Brody kloiz rabbis: Rabbi Yissachar Dov of Zlotchov, Rabbi Moshe of Pshevorsk and others. In Rabbi Yissachar Dov of Zlotchov’s approbation, he writes about the author, Rabbi Asher: “He never left the tent (of Rabbi Chaim Sanzer) and read and reviewed and toiled very much in the Torah that was directly orally transmitted.”
Especially important is the testimony from the Admo”r Rabbi Rephael of Barshid who was particularly known for his trait of truth, to the point that it was said about him that if he were given the entire world, he would not alter his words. Rabbi Rephael of Barshid attested as follows: “Our siddur was Siddur HaAriza”l , Lvov 1788 edition (by R’ Asher Margaliot), and we did not want to pray from any other siddur, because the rabbi (Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz) also prayed from this siddur and it was very important to him.”
The siddur is divided into three parts, according to the number of compilations. At the end of each part, the names of the press’s workers are written (who were, as mentioned, among the hidden tzaddikim).
Part I: Prayers for weekdays, includes 216 leaves. The copy before us is lacking 28 leaves. (There are 188 leaves. A detailed list of the missing leaves will be provided upon request.)
Part II: Shabbat prayers. Includes 64 leaves. Complete.
Part III: Prayers for festivals, with the Passover Haggadah. Includes 118 leaves. The copy before us is lacking the final leaf.
Approximately 17 cm. Stefansky, Chassidut 414.
Moderate-fine condition: Aging stains. Few worming perforations. Restored usage marks and wear with partial handwritten completion in some of the leaves, mainly in the Shacharit prayer. Elegant new leather binding. Some of the leaves and the binding are detached.
