Auction 53 - Rare and Important Items
Chok L'Yisrael, Bamidbar - Zhovkva, 1802 - Copy of Rebbe Chune Halberstam of Kołaczyce - With his Own Signature
Opening: $2,000
Sold for: $2,500
Including buyer's premium
Chok L'Yisrael, Part 4 - Bamidbar. Zhovkva, 1802.
This copy belonged to Rebbe Chune Halberstam of Kołaczyce. On the title page is his signature: "Chune Halberstam". On the front and back free endpapers are handwritten inscriptions indicating that the book "…belongs to the Rabbi of Kołaczyce, here in Rzeszów".
R. Chune Halberstam (1884-1942, Encyclopedia L'Chassidut Vol. 1, pp. 625-626), Related through both his parents to the Sanz Rebbe, the author of Divrei Chaim. His father, R. Menachem Mendel Halberstam of Frysztak was the son of R. Aryeh Leib of Dukla, son of R. David of Cieszanów, son of R. Chaim of Sanz. His mother, Feige Bayla was the daughter of R. Yechezkel Shrage Halberstam of Szeniawa, son of R. Chaim of Sanz. Reputedly, R. Chune was born as a result of a blessing bestowed by his ancestor the Szeniawa Rebbe who foresaw his illustrious future and said, "I have had a Heavenly revelation that he will become a great man". Chassidic lore recounts that this grandfather crowned R. Chune, requesting that he pray for his health. He was known throughout Galicia as a man of truth and as person who loved his fellow-Jew. One Erev Yom Kippur, at the height of his pre-fast meal, he cried out: "With ahavat Yisrael (love of the Jewish people), it is possible to gain endless lofty heights". He would often repeat the saying of his grandfather the Divrei Chaim of Sanz: "I do not fear any person, not even an angel, I only fear the sigh of a poor person". Indeed, he was very active on behalf of the poor and the disheartened, especially the needy of Eretz Israel. At a young age, he was appointed Rabbi of Kołaczyce (Poland), and thereafter was called the Kołaczyce Rebbe by all. After the death of his brother-in-law, R. Simcha Yissachar Ber Halberstam of Szeniawa, many Chassidim joined his court, among them R. Itzik'l of Przeworsk. Eventually, he became famous as one of the foremost Chassidic rebbes. The tsaddikim of his times greatly revered and praised him. R. Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz said that his fear of Heaven is renowned throughout the world and his great-uncle R. Yitzchak Yeshaya Halberstam (R. Shi'iy'le Tshechoiver) said that he can see in R. Chune many of the attributes of his father, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz (Encylopedia L'Chachmei Galicia, Vol 2, pp. 467-471).
During WWI, R. Chune immigrated to Košice (Slovakia) and remained there for seven years. After the war, he returned to Poland and established his court in the city of Rzeszów, and there established his yeshiva named Zera Kodesh, in which he guided young men in the paths of Torah and Chassidism. During the Holocaust, he fled Rzeszów to Frysztak and was clandestinely surrounded by Chassidim. The increased danger forced the Rebbe to hide in a bunker in a potato field outside of the city but he was discovered by the Nazis, deported to the Jasło prison and executed on the second day of Chol HaMo'ed Succot 1942. His prison-mate in the Jasło prison, R. Moshe Rand, relates that before his execution, R. Chune recited with R. Moshe the Nishmat prayer and declared that after examining his deeds, he found only one sin, he was not active enough on behalf of the needy population of Eretz Israel (Encyclopedia Shema Yisrael, Vol. 2, p. 183). His wife, children and grandchildren and his entire extended family, more than 70 people, also perished in the Holocaust (Menashe Unger, Admorim SheNispu Ba'Shoah, pp. 95-98).
It is well known that the Rebbe, author of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and his sons and holy descendants punctiliously studied the daily lesson in the book Chok L'Yisrael, and they were accustomed to studying it while donning Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. R. Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam of Sanz-Klausenburg writes: "Study of Chok L'Yisrael is of great importance… the Rebbe of Sanz and of Shinova and other Torah leaders studied Chok L'Yisrael daily…" (Shefa Chaim, Ra'ava D'Ra'avin, Part 1, Netanya 2009, p. 5).
[2]. 200, 205-206 (lacking Leaves 201-204). 18 cm. Condition varies, good-fair. Stains. Slight wear. Worming, in some place affecting text. Binding with leather spine, with damages and worming.
In the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, only Bamidbar is recorded (possibly the other volumes were not printed).
Enclosed is an expert's report with identification of the signature of Rebbe Chune Halberstam.
This copy belonged to Rebbe Chune Halberstam of Kołaczyce. On the title page is his signature: "Chune Halberstam". On the front and back free endpapers are handwritten inscriptions indicating that the book "…belongs to the Rabbi of Kołaczyce, here in Rzeszów".
R. Chune Halberstam (1884-1942, Encyclopedia L'Chassidut Vol. 1, pp. 625-626), Related through both his parents to the Sanz Rebbe, the author of Divrei Chaim. His father, R. Menachem Mendel Halberstam of Frysztak was the son of R. Aryeh Leib of Dukla, son of R. David of Cieszanów, son of R. Chaim of Sanz. His mother, Feige Bayla was the daughter of R. Yechezkel Shrage Halberstam of Szeniawa, son of R. Chaim of Sanz. Reputedly, R. Chune was born as a result of a blessing bestowed by his ancestor the Szeniawa Rebbe who foresaw his illustrious future and said, "I have had a Heavenly revelation that he will become a great man". Chassidic lore recounts that this grandfather crowned R. Chune, requesting that he pray for his health. He was known throughout Galicia as a man of truth and as person who loved his fellow-Jew. One Erev Yom Kippur, at the height of his pre-fast meal, he cried out: "With ahavat Yisrael (love of the Jewish people), it is possible to gain endless lofty heights". He would often repeat the saying of his grandfather the Divrei Chaim of Sanz: "I do not fear any person, not even an angel, I only fear the sigh of a poor person". Indeed, he was very active on behalf of the poor and the disheartened, especially the needy of Eretz Israel. At a young age, he was appointed Rabbi of Kołaczyce (Poland), and thereafter was called the Kołaczyce Rebbe by all. After the death of his brother-in-law, R. Simcha Yissachar Ber Halberstam of Szeniawa, many Chassidim joined his court, among them R. Itzik'l of Przeworsk. Eventually, he became famous as one of the foremost Chassidic rebbes. The tsaddikim of his times greatly revered and praised him. R. Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz said that his fear of Heaven is renowned throughout the world and his great-uncle R. Yitzchak Yeshaya Halberstam (R. Shi'iy'le Tshechoiver) said that he can see in R. Chune many of the attributes of his father, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz (Encylopedia L'Chachmei Galicia, Vol 2, pp. 467-471).
During WWI, R. Chune immigrated to Košice (Slovakia) and remained there for seven years. After the war, he returned to Poland and established his court in the city of Rzeszów, and there established his yeshiva named Zera Kodesh, in which he guided young men in the paths of Torah and Chassidism. During the Holocaust, he fled Rzeszów to Frysztak and was clandestinely surrounded by Chassidim. The increased danger forced the Rebbe to hide in a bunker in a potato field outside of the city but he was discovered by the Nazis, deported to the Jasło prison and executed on the second day of Chol HaMo'ed Succot 1942. His prison-mate in the Jasło prison, R. Moshe Rand, relates that before his execution, R. Chune recited with R. Moshe the Nishmat prayer and declared that after examining his deeds, he found only one sin, he was not active enough on behalf of the needy population of Eretz Israel (Encyclopedia Shema Yisrael, Vol. 2, p. 183). His wife, children and grandchildren and his entire extended family, more than 70 people, also perished in the Holocaust (Menashe Unger, Admorim SheNispu Ba'Shoah, pp. 95-98).
It is well known that the Rebbe, author of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and his sons and holy descendants punctiliously studied the daily lesson in the book Chok L'Yisrael, and they were accustomed to studying it while donning Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. R. Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam of Sanz-Klausenburg writes: "Study of Chok L'Yisrael is of great importance… the Rebbe of Sanz and of Shinova and other Torah leaders studied Chok L'Yisrael daily…" (Shefa Chaim, Ra'ava D'Ra'avin, Part 1, Netanya 2009, p. 5).
[2]. 200, 205-206 (lacking Leaves 201-204). 18 cm. Condition varies, good-fair. Stains. Slight wear. Worming, in some place affecting text. Binding with leather spine, with damages and worming.
In the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, only Bamidbar is recorded (possibly the other volumes were not printed).
Enclosed is an expert's report with identification of the signature of Rebbe Chune Halberstam.
Rare and Important Items
Rare and Important Items