Mesilat Yesharim – Zhitomir, 1847

Mesilat Yesharim – Zhitomir, 1847

Mesilat Yesharim, ethics and fear of G-d, with Derech Etz Chaim, by R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto – the Ramchal. Zhitomir: R. Chanina Lipa, R. Aryeh Leib and R. Yehoshua Heshel Shapira, grandsons of the rabbi of Slavita, 1847.
107 pages. 15 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dark stains. Minor marginal tear to title page. Signature on title page. New leather binding.

The Views of Chassidic Leaders on the Importance of Mesilat Yesharim
Many Chassidic leaders commented on the great stature of the book and the holiness of its kabbalistic author. The Maggid of Kozhnitz attested that all the heights he reached in his youth stemmed from the book Mesilat Yesharim. The Ohev Yisrael of Apta and R. Menachem Mendel of Rimanov diligently studied Mesilat Yesharim in great depth, and describe it in awesome and wondrous terms. The rebbe of Apta would say that his spiritual direction and education were drawn first and foremost from the book Mesilat Yesharim (Sefer HaChassidut, p. 146). Rebbe Nachman of Breslov would instruct new disciples to study Mesilat Yesharim (Sichot VeSipurim, p. 167), and the Bnei Yissaschar wrote in his additions to the book Sur MeRa V'Aseh Tov: "Study the book Mesilat Yesharim and it will quench your thirst… its words are sweeter than honey". R. Yaakov Yosef of Ostroh writes in his approbation to the book Klach Pitchei Chochma by the Ramchal (Korets 1785): "The book Mesilat Yesharim, the paths of G-d which tzaddikim tread, written by the great rabbi… R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, this is the Torah which Moshe presented to Israel, to understand the words of the wise and their riddles, through its straightforward teachings...". In his foreword to the above-mentioned book, the publisher quotes the Maggid of Mezeritch who stated that "[The Ramchal's] generation was not worthy of appreciating his righteousness and abstention".