Pair of Photographs of the Admo"r Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniya. Extraordinarily Rare.

Pair of Photographs of the Admo"r Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniya. Extraordinarily Rare.
Pair of rare photographs of the Admo"r Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniya. Photographs of Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniya are extraordinarily rare.
Before us are two photographs. The first photograph depicts Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniya standing at the threshold of a house, rabbinic walking stick in hand, looking straight at the camera. The second picture depicts the Admo"r sitting in Naot-Dache, wrapped in a tallit and crowned with tefillin.
The Admo"r Rabbi Chaim Hager of Otyniyaֲ [1862-1932], was a son of Rabbi Baruch Hager - the second Admo"r of Vizhnitz, author of Imrei Baruch. Rabbi Chaim was raised at his grandfather's, the great Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager of Vizhnitz, author of Tzemach Tzaddik. He was rabbinically ordained at the age of 13 by the leading rabbis of Galicia [including Rabbi Shlomo Drimmer, author of Beit Shlomo]. After his father's passing in 1893, he established his court in Otyniya, in eastern Galicia, and many Chassidim were quickly drawn to him. Rabbi Chaim suffered a lot, and underwent dozens of operations due to his physical weakness. It is told that when he was to undergo a lengthy, complex operation, the doctors wanted to anesthetize him, but Rabbi Chaim refused and asked them to bring him a Zohar and a cigarette and that candles be lit above him, and he told them that after half an hour of study, they could begin the operation. Indeed, he didn't stir for the entire procedure. This astonished the doctors and the matter was soon published in the local press. Aside from his Torah prowess, he was also a master of prayer and a musician. He composed tunes, such as the second part of Vizhnitz Chassidut's "Odeh LaKel." Rabbi Chaim passed away while he was lighting candles, just after concluding the Shehecheyanu blessing upon lighting the first Chanukah candle. Most of his Torah thoughts were lost during the War. After his passing, his Chassidim printed some of his Torah thoughts in Tal Chaim on Torah and in Nimukei Chaim on Talmud.
[2] black-and-white photographs, with serrated edges. Different sizes. Overall fine condition.