Talmud Bavli Tractate Berachot – Approbation of Yismach Moshe – Czernowitz, 1845 – Many Handwritten Glosses

Talmud Bavli Tractate Berachot – Approbation of Yismach Moshe – Czernowitz, 1845 – Many Handwritten Glosses

Talmud Bavli, Tractate Berachot, with novellae of Maharsha, Maharshal, Maharam Lublin, Maharam Schiff [bound with: Rosh and Mishnayot Seder Zera'im – with separate title pages]. Czernowitz [Chernivtsi]: Johann Eckhardt, 1845. Stereotype of 1839 edition. Published by R. Avraham HaKohen Rechin Berger of Czernowitz and R. Menachem Mendel Horowitz Eisenberg of Borshchiv.

On the reverse side of the title page for Tractate Berachot is printed the approbation of Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, the Yismach Moshe of Ujhel.

Many handwritten marginal glosses.

Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Ujhel (1759-1841), the Yismach Moshe, an illustrious Chassidic leader in Hungary and Galicia, and progenitor of the Sighet and Satmar Chassidic dynasties. An outstanding Torah scholar and kabbalist, he was an expert in both the revealed and hidden Torah. He was famed during his lifetime as a holy wonderworker possessing ruach hakodesh. He first served as rabbi in Shinova from 1785-1808, and subsequently in 1808 he was appointed rabbi and Av Beit Din of Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely) and the region. Rebbe Moshe was originally opposed to Chassidut, and in his youth he traveled to study with the Vilna Gaon. He joined Chassidut at a later age, influenced by his son-in-law, R. Aryeh Leib Lipschitz, Av Beit Din of Vishnitza (Nowy Wiśnicz), author of Responsa Aryeh DeVei Ila'i, who convinced him to travel to the Chozeh of Lublin. With the Chozeh he became aware of clear manifestations of ruach hakodesh, and from that point on he became his close disciple, devoting himself to the Chassidic way and spreading its teachings in his regions. He likewise traveled to visit the Ohev Yisrael of Apta. Starting in 1815, he began to distribute amulets to those in need of salvation, thereby performing countless wonders. It is told that he hesitated about whether to continue making amulets until he heard a heavenly voice calling out to him while he was awake: "Do not fear, for I am with you" (Tehillah LeMoshe). To this day, most of the amulets and shemirot in Ashkenazic lands are attributed to the amulets of the Yismach Moshe, including the printed shemirot for children and child-bearing women and for plague. The famous "Keresterir's amulets", which were written by rebbes as a Segulah to guard one's house and property, originate with the Yismach Moshe.

[1], 2-81, 81-82; [1], 2-49; [1], 3-36, 38-81 leaves. Approx. 42 cm. Good condition. Stains, creases and light wear, primarily to first and last leaves and margins. Marginal open tears to title page, not affecting text, restored with paper and tape. New binding.

On the printing of the present edition, see: R. N. N. Rabinowitz, "Article on the Printing of the Talmud", Jerusalem 1952, pp. 139-140 (Hebrew); Y. Yosef HaKohen, "The Hebrew Press in Czernowitz", Areshet – 3, Jerusalem 1961, pp. 291-292 (Hebrew).