Yismach Moshe on the Torah – Chassidic and Kabbalistic discourses on the Torah portions, by Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely). Parts I-V, on Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar and Devarim. Lviv: 1848-1861. Set in two volumes. First editions of all parts, with divisional title pages.

The Yismach Moshe book series was edited and prepared for press by the author’s grandson, his close disciple, Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev, and his glosses and additions are printed in several places.

In the beginning of the Bereshit volume is printed a short introduction by the Yitav Lev. At the beginning of the fourth and fifth volume are printed approbations of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and the Yitav Lev.

Ownership inscriptions and signatures on the Bereshit title page: “Leibush…”; “Bluma Spiegel”.

The second volume on Bamidbar-Devarim was owned by the Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Boehm, the dayan of Carei, who published these two parts of Yismach Moshe. On the title pages of Bamidbar and Devarim are his ownership stamps: “Yitzchak Itzik Boehm in Jerusalem”. The publisher R. Yitzchak Boehm is mentioned in the approbations of the Divrei Chaim and Yitav Lev appearing on the reverse side of the two title pages. The Divrei Chaim writes of him: “My friend R. Yitzchak Itzik, dayan in Carei”; and the Yitav Lev writes of him: “I have found the one whom my soul loves, the great expert R. Yitzchak, excellent dayan in Carei, who generously leaped over mountains to bring Yismach Moshe on Bamidbar and Devarim to press, expending great effort in himself and his property…”. 

R. Yitzchak passed away on 25 Cheshvan, 1887. About a week after the end of the mourning period, the present copy was sold to R. Menachem Natan Auerbach, whose ownership inscription dated 7 Kislev, 1887 appears on the Bamidbar title page: “I bought this holy book at full price for the honor of my Maker and Master, 7 Kislev, 5648 – Menachem Natan Auerbach”. R. Menachem Natan Auerbach (1858-1930) was one of the great sages of Jerusalem, a grandson of the Imrei Binah, R. Meir Auerbach, Av Beit Din of Kalisz and Jerusalem.

The Kabbalist R. Yitzchak Boehm (1819-1887), of Hungary and Jerusalem, was ordained by R. Meir Perls, Av Beit Din of Carei, and served as dayan and posek in the city. He was one of the great followers of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and his son, the Rebbe of Shinova. In ca. 1873, R. Yitzchak reached Jerusalem on a mission from R. Yechezkel of Shinova in order to print the book series Or HaChamah on the Zohar in Eretz Israel. After immigrating to Israel, he served as dayan in Jerusalem, and was one of the leaders of the Hungarian Kollel (see at length in: R. Menashe Yosef Miller, The Dayan R. Yitzchak Boehm of Carei-Jerusalem, Alei Zikaron, 43, Shevat 2018, pp. 2-16 [Hebrew]).

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.

Set in two volumes. • Volume I (Bereshit – 1848): [1], 117 leaves; (Shemot – 1850): [1], 2-90 leaves; leaf 80 is missing (in its place, leaf 79 is bound twice); (Vayikra – 1851): [1], 2-42 leaves. • Volume II (Bamidbar – 1861): [1], 48 leaves; the last leaf 49 is missing; (Devarim – 1861): [4], 5-28, 33-72, [1] leaves; 4 leaves are missing (leaves 29-32).

22-24 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Light damage. On volume I: leaves are trimmed on the border of the text, affecting headings and the margins of the text on some leaves; marginal tears to several leaves reinforced with paper. Stamps. New, matching leather bindings, with gold tooling.