Sefer Yitav Lev – First Edition, with the Rare Colorful Title Page.

Sefer Yitav Lev, first ...

Sefer Yitav Lev – First Edition, with the Rare Colorful Title Page.

Sefer Yitav Lev, first edition, Máramaros-Sziget, 1875 – five parts. A copy with an additional special and extremely rare title page!

Here we have a rare copy containing commentaries on all five books of the Torah. This rare copy includes seven title pages: a colorful title page that is not found in most copies, a general title page, and five individual title pages for each section.

Yitav Lev presents insights on the Torah following the path of Chassidut. It comprises five parts in three volumes. This is the first edition, printed in Sziget in 1875.

This renowned sefer was authored by one of the greatest tzaddikim of Hungary, the first Rebbe of Sighet, and the forefather of the Satmar dynasty, the holy Rebbi Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, known as the “Yitav Lev, ” after the title of this sefer.

The first edition was printed during the author’s lifetime and under his supervision. The title page states: “Which God granted His servant, for He loved his forefathers and chose his descendants after him; behold, he is hidden among the vessels.” Out of humility, the author printed the book anonymously, as explained in the introduction, though he alluded to his name through the book's title: Yitav = Y'kutiel Y'ehuda T'eitelbaum.

In his introduction, the author humbly explains his reasoning for omitting his name from the work. He cites the words of the “Panim Me’irot” in his introduction, who questioned “whether it is better not to reveal the author’s identity or whether it is obligatory to mention who the author is, ” to which he answered that it is unnecessary to mention the author’s name... He writes: “In my humble opinion, the decision is that regarding matters of halacha, it is necessary to know who the author is, whether he is worthy and appropriate to rely upon... But concerning matters of aggadah and rebuke, why do we need to know the author’s name? The words themselves bear witness if they enter the hearts of the listeners... It has already been said: ‘Who is wise? One who learns from every person, ’ and Rashi explains, ‘even if he is lesser than him’... Therefore, I said to myself, it is better to conceal and hide it, for I am ashamed and embarrassed to stand among great companions, for my soul knows my own inadequacies, I do not have the understanding of a man, and I do not speak before those greater than me, only to the young sheep...”

The Bereishit section contains three title pages. There are separate title pages for the sections Shemot, Vayikra, and Bamidbar.

Stefansky, Chassidut, no. 228.

Sziget, 1875) – First Edition.

Five parts in three volumes:

- Bereishit: [5], 2-141 [2 errata] leaves.

- Shemot: [1], 3-91 leaves.

- Vayikra: [3], 2-55 leaves.

- Bamidbar: [1], 2-80, [1 errata] leaves.

- Devarim: [1], 2-52, 55-70, [1 errata] leaves.

General condition is good to very good. Slight worming, a tear, and creases on the last page of the errata for the Bereishit section. It seems the errata for the Vayikra and Bamidbar sections are missing. Newly bound in a luxurious binding.

The Holy Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, Author of Yitav Lev (1808–1883), and the founder of the Sighet dynasty. He was the son of Rebbi Eliezer Nisan, Av Beit Din of Drohobych, who was the son of Rebbi Moshe Teitelbaum, the author of Yismach Moshe. Rebbi Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum was one of the great Rebbes and righteous figures of Hungary and a prominent halachic authority. He acquired most of his Torah knowledge from his grandfather, the Yismach Moshe, and succeeded him in  1841. From 1858, he served as Av Beit Din of Sighet, where he established a large yeshiva. In Sighet, he began to serve as a Rebbe, and thousands of Chassidim flocked to him from across the country. His published works include Yitav Lev, Yitav Panim, Rav Tov, and responsa titled Avnei Tzedek on the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch.