Mishnat Chassidim. Kabbalah, by Rabbi Emanuel Chai Ricchi, first edition, Amsterdam, [1727]
This book was sent by Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin – who was known as 'King of Israel.' He bore the distress of the Cantonist decree and concerned himself with encouraging the Cantonists and drawing them close so that they would not become disconnected from the Jewish nation. He sent it to one of the Cantonists whose name was Rephael son of Yaakov Kishlitzki, who during the many years he was in the Czar's army studied and adhered to the book. It also served him as something of a diary. On the five empty leaves at the end of the book and the empty spaces at its beginning, he documented his spiritual life at length, starting with a detailed description of how the book was sent to him by Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, and onward. (Leaf 4:1) "Not to be proud or to boast, just to remember - this holy book, which was in my hands as well when I was at work - working for the Czar, was sent to me as a gift by the by the Pure Great Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, and I studied it as best I could … and the first time I finished it with Heaven's help was on Purim, in Russia, in a village in Novo Bard, and I hadn't even heard the megillah and hadn't seen any Jewish people, yet G-d in his grace was with me, a Jewish man, a servant to G-d and king - Kishlitzki - Purim 5611 (1851)."
On leaf [2] 1, he signs his full name, "The words of a Jewish soldier, Rephael son of Yaakov." It is interesting to note that the words were written approximately two months after Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin's passing, yet the soldier did not add the word "ZTz"L nor words of sorrow. Apparently, the report had not yet reached him in the distant place he was stationed.
Reading the soldier's diary reveals the wisdom and holiness of Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, since the soldier was apparently kidnapped during his early teens, he knew how to read and write, but did not really understand the deep kabbalistic book that was sent to him. Yet he read it time and again, as mentioned above: "The first time I finished it ..." and elsewhere: "And the second time I finished it was on the eve of Shabbat Kodesh Nachamu the 10th of Menachem Av 5614 (1854) here in Laver close to the royal city of Petersburg." The book elevated him and prevented him from being distanced, with his feeling that he was studying "kabbalah." At the end of the book there is a sheet of errata with the printing errors that appear in the book. It is heart-rending to see that the soldier, for whom this was apparently his only book, corrected each one of the errors that appear on the sheet of errata in the body of book. It is fascinating to read his descriptions of what he had gone through and how the holy book before us had protected him throughout his spiritual trials. For example, "Due to the extent of His personal supervision, it was not taken from those of low value, with cut-off sideburns, shaven beards, who eat repulsive soup." Or later, "And He knows all our secrets, and that until now I have eaten the king's bread from the non-kosher pot, since we are still under and with the soldiers of Russia, he brought me this book so that I will not forget what I learned … in my youth and when I was free."
A harsh enlistment edict was decreed in Czarist Russia in the early 19th century which greatly affected the Jewish communities for approximately thirty years [1827-1856]. When the Czar Nicholas I rose to power [1825], he decided to introduce new arrangements in his country to reeducate the Jewish communities. Therefore, he ordered a forcible recruitment of young Jewish boys, to be given Christian military education so that when they return home after their military service, they will convince others to follow in their new ways. The reeducation was done in small huts – "cantons," thus giving the edict its name, 'The Cantonists.'
The Jews did their best to prevent execution of the edict, including exerting pressure and paying large amounts in bribes. These attempts failed and the army began recruiting 12-year-old boys for a prolonged service period of 31 years!
Every community was obligated to send a quota of recruits. When this quota was not met, leaders of the community hired people to kidnap children to be sent to the army. Rabbinical leaders protested against the edict and tried to have it cancelled; indeed they succeeded in releasing some of the children. Yet the majority were recruited and served for dozens of years in the Russian army. There were Jewish communities of many Cantonist soldiers, such as in Kharkov, who succeeded in retaining their Judaism at any price, despite the many great trials they underwent, as described in Shmuel Rothstein's book Cantonistim (Cantonists). Many of them, however, did not know how to read or write and were unfamiliar with many of the mitzvahs, since they had not been living among Jews for many years. Under supervision of the generation's rabbis, emissaries were sent to teach them Torah and help them observe the practical mitzvahs.
Rabbi Yisrael Friedman, the holy Admor of Ruzhin, was also in touch with the Cantonist soldiers. Rabbi Mottel of Slonim recalled in his writings that 72 Jewish soldiers serving in the Russian army sent a note to Rabbi Yisrael during the Crimean War in which they wrote: "Avi Avi Rechev Yisrael U'Farashav shelter the remnants of Israel so that pure blood will not mix with impure blood." Rabbi Yisrael sent them his holy blessing and added a "protection" for each of them. He also ordered each one of them them to wear his small tefillin throughout the war. These soldiers were cavalry riders and were sent to the front. They experienced open miracles and were all saved, every last one of them. At the end of the war they all came to the Admo"r.
Eventually, on the 25th of Av 1855, Czar Alexander II cancelled the recruitment edict.
The holy book Mishnat Chassidim was sacred in the eyes of leading Chassidic Admors and is mentioned many times in Chassidic works. Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin's grandfather – the Maggid of Mezeritch – mentions it ["כתוב במשנת ×—×¡×™×“×™× ×‘×¤×§×•×“×ª נוקב×"], as well as Rabbi Shnuer Zalman of Liadi, and others.
[6], 132, [2] leaves and [4] additional diary leaves. 16 cm. Dedication inscriptions, stamps and signatures. Moderate-fine condition. Aging stains. Repairs with tape. Original binding, partly detached and slight wear.