Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov (book)
The book Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov — Likkutei Amarim (abbreviated MDL"Y) contains, as its title page declares, "words of pleasantness and honeycomb sweetness — his lips preserve knowledge and Torah is sought from his mouth; a holy mouth utters pure utterances, a pure man mighty in the strength of Torah, the light of the Torah of the Rebbe."[1] It is a collection of teachings delivered by the Maggid of Mezeritch, recorded by his disciples and edited by his disciple and kinsman R' Shlomo Flam — the Maggid of Lutzk — "from several manuscripts by several writers, the principal one being copied from the handwriting of... Moreinu R' Zeev Wolf of the holy community of Horodna." It was first printed in Koretz in 5541 (1781), and again in 5544 (1784) with the addition of Likkutim Chadashim from the editor. The Berditchev edition (5568 / 1808) carries the approbation of the holy R' Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.
The name of the Maggid is hinted in the final letters of the book's title: "Magid Devarav L'Yakov Ber" — spelling Dov Ber.
At the Rebbe's instruction, Kehot printed a new edition of the work in 5733 (1973), with additions edited by R' Yehuda Leib Groner and R' Aharon Chitrik. The Rebbe also asked R' Emmanuel Shochat to contribute his notes on the Maggid's works before the new edition went to press — though R' Shochat had never spoken to anyone about the notes he possessed. His annotations were likewise included in the printed editions of Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov and Ohr Torah. This edition was reprinted in subsequent years (5740, 5766, 5781).
In 5770 (2010) the work was newly edited by R' Emmanuel Shochat, acting on the Rebbe's instruction to him to occupy himself with preparing critical editions of the works of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid, with the assistance of R' Aharon Leib Raskin. The additions from earlier editions were reorganized and substantially expanded, including:
- Introduction and preface
- Source references
- A collection of the Maggid's teachings as cited in the writings of our Rebbeim
- A collection of the Maggid's teachings and sayings
- Guidelines transmitted by the Maggid to the Alter Rebbe (from manuscript), together with questions the Alter Rebbe posed to him and the Maggid's responses
- Glosses and explanations on Ohr Torah
- Holy sayings about the Maggid
- The Maggid's customs
- The Maggid's letters, together with letters of the Baal Shem Tov, his disciples, and the Maggid's disciples, whose content relates to the Maggid
- The text of the Maggid's approbation to the work Halacha Pesuka
- A passage from Beis Rebbe on the Maggid
- The inscription on the Maggid's gravestone
- The approbation of the holy R' Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev to Likkutei Amarim (Berditchev, 5568)
- Approbations to Ohr Torah, first edition
- Indices
At the end of the volume appear R' Emmanuel Shochat's notes on the works of the Maggid, prepared at the Rebbe's instruction.
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Notes edit
- ↑ From the title page.