Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts

Lot 104

Collection of Books of the Yitav Lev – Yitav Panim / Rav Tuv / Avnei Tzedek

Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,625
Including buyer's premium

Collection of Books of the Yitav Lev:


• Yitav Panim, Chassidic homilies and discourses on the festivals, by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev. Part I – Lemberg (Lviv), Yaakov Meshulam Nik and U. W. Salat, 1881; Part II – Munkacs: Pinchas Blayer, 1883. First edition. Two parts in two volumes. Part II bound before Part I. Missing leaf 157 of Part II.
First edition printed in the lifetime of the author, Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev. Part II of the book was published days before he passed away, in Elul 1883. When the new book was brought to his sickbed, he kissed it all around and "shed tears of happiness that he merited to see it" – see below.
This book was edited and published by his daughter's son, Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Magyarlápos, who recounts in the introduction to Responsa Avnei Tzedek (Lemberg, 1885): "And fortunate am I that he appointed me over his household and lovingly revealed to me his treasury, and entrusted me with his book Yitav Panim to edit and print, the second part of which was published in full while he was still alive, a few days before his passing; and when I brought it to his bed, he rejoiced, kissed it on every side, and shed tears of happiness that he merited to see it. Afterwards he called me near to his perfect bed, and his face shone like the sun, and he said to me: My dear son, I give you my blessing and great thanks for having fulfilled my long-held desire. May G-d repay your labor and may your wages be full…" (see also Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum’s introduction to Yismach Moshe, Sighet 1898 edition).
The author's name is not mentioned on the title page (as with his previous book, Yitav Lev), but is alluded to in the initials of the book’s name: Yitav stands for Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum [he used to sign his name with these initials].
Chassidic discourses and homilies for the festivals: Part I – for Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat Teshuvah, 13 attributes and 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.
Signatures on title pages: "Yisrael Rosenfeld".


• Yitav Panim, Chassidic homilies and discourses on the festivals, by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev. Khust: Meir Yehudah Ketina, 1912. Second edition. Two parts in two volumes. Does not contain last leaf of second volume with errata.
Second edition, with approbation of author’s grandson, Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Magyarlápos (Târgu Lăpuș), editor of the first edition printed in the author's lifetime, in which he writes that he decided to identify the author, although his name was not given in the first edition.


• Rav Tuv LeBeit Yisrael, commentaries on the Torah by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, the Yitav Lev, Rabbi of Sighet. Lviv (Lemberg): Yaakov Meshulam Ehrenpreis, 1889. First edition.
This book was edited and published by the author’s grandson and close disciple, Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Magyarlápos, who recounts in the introduction to Responsa Avnei Tzedek (Lviv, 1885) that his grandfather entrusted him with all his manuscripts to have them printed (see above).
On the last leaf are printed two letters from the author: "Regarding the problem that has arisen in winemaking… so as not to transgress the prohibition of Chametz on Pesach and Yein Nesech".


• Responsa Avnei Tzedek, Part I, on Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah, by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet (author of Yitav Lev). Lviv: Uri Ze'ev Wolf Salat, 1885. First edition. Does not contain two leaves of indexes, after the title page.
Stamps: "Shmuel Baruch Guttmann, shochet and prayer leader of Grosswardein (Oradea) and Maggid of the lecture society".


Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum (1808-1883), Rabbi of Sighet, son of R. Elazar Nisan Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet, and son-in-law of R. Moshe David Ashkenazi, the Tolcsva Rabbi who later moved to Safed. His primary teacher was his paternal grandfather, Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Ujhel, author of Yismach Moshe, who greatly cherished his grandson and divulged his heavenly revelations to him. He was also a disciple of R. Asher Yeshayah of Ropshitz.

In 1833 (at the age of 25), R. Yekutiel Yehudah was appointed Rabbi of Stropkov, and later succeeded his grandfather as Rabbi of Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely). He later served as Rabbi of Gorlice and Drohobych.

In 1858 he relocated to serve as Rabbi of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), capital of the Maramureș region, and established a large yeshiva where about two hundred students studied at its prime. His students there included R. Shlomo Leib Tabak, author of Erech Shai and head of the Sighet Beit Din. His grandson attests that "he was a merciful father to them and he bore them on his shoulders as a nurse bears an infant, and he personally attended to their studying Torah in holiness and purity". In Sighet he achieved worldwide acclaim, and thousands of Chassidim flocked to the city for his sage advice, blessings and salvation. He was known for his great holiness, which his grandson Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar attests that he never debased. Many miraculous stories are told of him, including wonders revealed to him by divine inspiration. He was known in his generation for reading the minds of those standing before him, and wondrous tales are told about it. He is known for his books Yitav Lev on the Torah, Yitav Panim on the festivals, Rav Tuv on the Torah and Responsa Avnei Tzedek.


5 volumes. Varying size and condition. Mostly new bindings.

Chassidut Sighet and Satmar – Books, Letters and Manuscripts
Chassidut Sighet and Satmar – Books, Letters and Manuscripts