Yitav Panim on the Festivals (by the Yitav Lev) – Khust, 1912 – Both Parts – Distinguished Copies

Yitav Panim on the Festivals (by the Yitav Lev) – Khust, 1912 – Both Parts – Distinguished Copies

Yitav Panim, Chassidic homilies and discourses on the festivals, by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev. Khust: Meir Yehudah Ketina, 1912. Two parts in two volumes.

Chassidic discourses and homilies for the festivals: Part I – for Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat Teshuvah, 13 Attributes, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Chanukkah; Part II – Shovavim, Four Parashiyot, Purim, Shabbat HaGadol, Pesach, Shavuot, Bein HaMetzarim, 15th of Av and the month of Elul.

Second edition, with approbation of author’s grandson, Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Magyarlápos (Târgu Lăpuș), editor of the first edition printed in the author’s lifetime, in which he writes that “my grandfather, the author, hid his holy name in the book’s title and concealed it in an allusion [the word Yitav forms the initials of Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum], when it was published during his lifetime… Nevertheless, I decided to write… exactly who the holy author was, so that the final generation know to awaken the lips of the sleeping in mentioning his holy name, so that the Tzaddik’s lips speak to awaken mercy and kindness from the blessing on high…”.

Distinguished copie: 

On the title page of Part II is an ownership inscription (in pencil) of the Rebbe of Borşa, Rebbe Chaim Ben Tzion Hager: “Belongs to R. Chaim Ben Tzion Hager son of R. P[inchas] of Borşa” – Rebbe Chaim Ben Tzion Hager of Borşa (perished in the Holocaust, 1944), Rebbe in Sighet after his father, Rebbe Pinchas Hager, Av Beit Din of Borşa (son of the Imrei Baruch of Vizhnitz), and son-in-law of Rebbe Yechiel Ashkenazi of Olesko-United States.

On the title page of Part II also appear stamps: “Yitzchak Klein, author of Ohel Yitzchak, ten parts, Rosh Av Beit Din in Satmar” – R. Yitzchak Klein (1861 - perished in the Holocaust), born in Tab to his father R. Yisrael Klein. Learned in the Shevet Sofer yeshiva in Pressburg and in the yeshiva of R. Eliezer Zusman Sofer in Paks. Son-in-law of R. Chaim Friedrich, Av Beit Din of Turóc. In 1902 he was appointed dayan and posek in the status-quo community in Satmar, and around the time of World War I he was appointed Rosh Av Beit Din. For many years he edited and printed the Torah periodicals Ohel Yitzchak, Meged Yerachim and HaMaggid, to which important rabbis and scholars contributed. Author of Zichron Yisrael (Satmar, 1912), Birkat Avraham (Tarnów, 1934-1935), Kol Chatan (Satmar, 1937) and more.

In the title page to Part I and in some leaves of the book, ownership stamps of R. Shimon Ze’ev Miller, Av Beit Din of Arad: “Shimon Ze’ev Miller, Av Beit Din of Arad”, and his father, the shochet R. Tzvi Moshe Miller, “Tzvi Moshe Miller, shochet”; “Tzvi Moshe Miller, shochet of Șomcuta Mare”. R. Shimon Ze’ev Miller, Av Beit Din of Arad (1918-1986), student of the yeshivas of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum in Carei and Satmar (the Rebbe once said of him: “the rabbi of Arad was already an exceptional Torah scholar when he learned with me in his youth”). After the Holocaust, he served as Rabbi of Șomcuta Mare, and was later appointed Av Beit Din of Arad. In 1963 he immigrated to the United States, where Rebbe Yoel of Satmar appointed him as lecturer in the yeshiva and head of the Kollel for halachic ruling. Author of Siftei Shimon. His father, R. Tzvi Moshe Miller of Tarnów, a follower of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and a shochet in Șomcuta Mare. Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, held him in high regard as an authority in the laws of ritual slaughtering and choice of shochatim (see on him in the introduction to Siftei Shimon, New York, 1995, in the article on the author’s life at the beginning of the book, pp. 10-11).

Two parts in two volumes. Part I: [1], 2-183, [1]; Part II: [1], 161, [1] leaves. 23.5-24 cm. Good condition. Stains and light wear. Minor tears, restored on the margins of some pages. Stamps. Fine new leather binding to Part I. Original binding to Part II, with a spine and leather corners, somewhat worn.

Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet – the Yitav Lev (1808-1883), son of R. Elazar Nisan Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet, and son-in-law of R. Moshe David Ashkenazi – rabbi of Tolcsva who immigrated to Safed. He was a close disciple of his grandfather the Yismach Moshe – Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ujhel, who drew him especially close and disclosed to him Heavenly revelations which he had perceived with Divine inspiration. He was also a disciple of Rebbe Asher Yeshaya of Ropshitz. In 1833 (at the age of 25), he was appointed rabbi of Stropkov, and after the passing of his illustrious grandfather, he was selected to succeed him as rabbi of Ujhel. He was then appointed rabbi of Gorlitz (Gorlice), and later of Drohobych. In 1858, he went to serve as rabbi of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), capital of the Maramureș region, and founded there a large yeshiva, which numbered at its zenith two hundred students. Amongst his renowned disciples from that time was R. Shlomo Leib Tabak author of Erech Shai and head of the Sighet Beit Din. His grandson attested that "he was a merciful father to his disciples, carrying them on his shoulders as a nurse carries a suckling, and overseeing each one individually to ensure they studied Torah in holiness and purity". In Sighet, he earned worldwide renown, and thousands of Chassidim flocked to seek his counsel and wisdom, blessings and salvation. He was renowned for his exceptional holiness, and his grandson R. Yoel of Satmar attested that his holiness was never tainted. Numerous stories circulated of the wonders he performed, including incredible insights which were revealed to him with Divine Inspiration and through his exceptional wisdom. He was reputed in his generation as one who could read the minds of those standing before him, and amazing stories were told of this ability. His epitaph reads: "The renowned rabbi, he edified upstanding and reputable disciples, left behind valuable compositions". He is renowned for his books: Yitav Lev on the Torah, Yitav Panim on the Festivals, Rav Tuv on the Torah and Responsa Avnei Tzedek.