by: Eliezer Brodt

I just printed a small sefer, Likutei Eliezer, it is 120 pages and paperback. The sefer consists of four chapters each with many parts. Although portions of each chapter appeared on the blog, each has been significantly expanded – over double the amount of new material – as well as corrections and updates. All the pieces are in Hebrew. The first chapter starts out with a discussion of various possible sources regarding the well-known custom of saying Ledovid during Elul and Tishrei. This leads in to a few different historical discussions of various people who were possibly the earlier sources for it being said. After proving (partially based on an earlier post of Dan’s) that the earliest known sources to us today for this custom is from R. Binyomin Benish Bal Shem I have a in-depth discussion of Balei Shem and others our history. I deal a bit with the topic of practicing Kabbalah Ma’asit (Practical Kabbalah) in this chapter.

I should mention that in the latest issue of Kovetz Eitz Chaim there appears an article under my name about Ledovid in Elul. [The version in this new sefer of mine has more than double the material than the article]. I was asked by an editor of this journal for this article. I was happy to give it to them although they have their methods of what to include and what not to include as has been demonstrated in the past on this Blog. However I was very disappointed to see that the besides omitting some of the sources and names they have changed my article with a completely different outcome than that I had written.

The second chapter deals with Efer Parah (ashes of the Red Heifer) and when exactly did we lose it. A version of this chapter appeared in my sefer Bein Kesseh Le-assur (of which copies are still available for purchase) and on the blog. In this new sefer many additions were added. Among topics discussed in this chapter are lengthy discussion of the famous Berita De-mesctas Niddah and if R. Eliezer Kaliar was a Tanna.

The third chapter revolves around the Sefer Hapeulot of R. Chaim Vital. This chapter has twenty sub-chapters based in part on my post on the blog but full of new material. Amongst the topics dealt with are Alchemy, Shelios Chalom, Goralos, automatic writing, ghosts and much much more.
The fourth chapter is about the Maggid of the Beis Yosef. This chapter consists of seven sub chapters focusing on the Poskim and how they viewed this work. I begin with as an example the words of the Maggid to the Beis Yosef (“BY”) not to eat meat on Rosh Hashana (“RH”). I deal with how the Maggid could have forgotten a Mishna which says one is supposed to eat meat on RH and a gereal discussion how a Maggid works in this regard. I have a section dealing with the various sources about eating meat on RH. Another section deals with who was the Maggid talking to just the BY or to everyone. The BY never quotes the Maggid but other poskim do bring him. I deal with the topic of Torah lav ba-shmayim in regard to this. Another section deals with the Rambam forgetting sources. The last section deals with the famous words which the Maggid told the BY many times that he would die Al Kidush Hashem via burning and we know he did not.

This sefer is available for purchase in the US by Biegliesin in NY, in Lakewood at Judaica Plaza and in Mosey at Tuvias’s. In Jerusalem it is available at Girsa, Otzar Haseforim and next to the Mir. It is also available for purchase from the author and can be shipped worldwide. A PDF of the table of contents and index are available, for more information contact me at eliezerbrodt@gmail.com.