Large handwritten volume, ledger of the regulations of the Talmud Torah Society, containing hundreds of names of community members. Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely), 1822-1874.
The regulations are followed by an endorsement handwritten and signed by the rabbi of the city, R. Moshe Teitelbaum, author of Yismach Moshe. The list of names of the society members includes R. Yirmiyahu Löw, Rabbi of Ujhel, his son R. Elazar Löw, and the grandsons of the Yismach Moshe, R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum (later Rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev) and R. Yechezkel Halberstam (later Rabbi of Shinova, author of Divrei Yechezkel).
The Talmud Torah Society was an organization for promoting Torah study in the city, contributing to the tuition of children from destitute homes, providing them with a Torah education. Each of the society members had to sponsor Torah study, thus becoming a member of the association. Like other such societies in Jewish communities, this society was also a social group. The members would gather to study together, and participate in each other's joyous events as well as times of mourning. They would assemble to study Torah throughout the night preceding a Brit Mila, and after the passing of a member, they would study and pray for the elevation of his soul. 48 clauses of regulations relating to monetary and spiritual matters appear on the first five pages of the ledger, obligating the volunteers to support Torah study in the city. The ledger begins with the words: "Today, we have come together, all the undersigned, to strengthen the Talmud Torah Society of our city… and have decided to institute permanent regulations which are listed here…". The 48 regulations follow this introduction.
On p. [3a], at the conclusion of the regulations, are three lines handwritten by R. Moshe Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Ujhel, who writes: "Due to lack of time, I could not study these regulations, however, I rely on the five elected men who have undoubtedly used their judgement properly, and I agree to all these things which were spoken with truth and justice, so says Moshe Teitelbaum of Premishla, here in Ujhel and its region". This endorsement is followed by the signatures of dozens of members of the Talmud Torah Society.
The following rabbis are amongst the signatories on the regulations: R. Aharon Guenzler and his son R. Moshe Yehuda Leib Guenzler (father of R. Shmuel Guenzler Rabbi of Visheva, and father-in-law of R. Avraham Yehuda Schwartz Rabbi of Mád and author of Kol Aryeh); R. Itzek Friedlieber of Sereď (disciple of the Chatam Sofer, HaChatam Sofer V'Talmidav, pp. 245-246); R. Tzvi Hirsh Adler of Abony (disciple of the Chatam Sofer, HaChatam Sofer V'Talmidav, p. 412); R. Yeshaya HaLevi (of Liska, presumably a dayan in Ujhel in 1847-1848); and others.
The pages of the regulations and signatures are followed by about one hundred pages of names of members. Each page bears the names of one or two members in large calligraphic scribal script. The dates of the death of society members appear on some pages, with information pertaining to them and their estates. A copy of the testament of one of the members is presented on p. 10a. The last dozens of pages contain protocols with additional regulations, the names of new members who joined the society throughout the years and the dates of their enrollment.
P. 1a is dedicated to the first and foremost member, the rabbi of the city: "R. Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ujhel – 1822". Inscribed under his name: "Died at a ripe old age and heavily mourned, 28th Tammuz 1841".
The next two leaves (on a different, greenish paper, bound inside the ledger many years after its first entries) contain the name of R. Yirmiyahu Löw – the renowned author of the Divrei Yirmiyahu books who officiated as rabbi of the city from 1852: "R. Yirmiyahu Löw Rabbi of Ujhel – 1852". Another inscription was added under his name: "R. Yirmiyahu Löw died in 1874 on the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach. His son and successor, R. Elazar Löw Rabbi of Ujhel, 1874".
The name of the member R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, grandson of the Yismach Moshe, appears on p. 53a. At that time, he was 23 years old (later, Rebbe and Rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev): "The astute rabbi, R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum – 1831". Another documentation of the date the Yitav Lev joined the society appears in the protocols at the end of the volume (p. [149b]): "Thursday of Mishpatim 1831. The young man R. Yekutiel Yehuda grandson of the rabbi, the great luminary, was accepted for…" (listing his weekly contribution).
The last page of the additions at the end of the ledger, features the name of R. Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam, eldest son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, and son-in-law of the son-in-law of the Yismach Moshe (later, Rebbe and Rabbi of Shinova, author of Divrei Yechezkel): "Today, the young man R. Yechezkel Halberstam was accepted into the society, with the agreement of the undersigned…" (specifying his weekly contribution).
On p. [2b], Clause 36, an interesting regulation appears: "If a son is born to a member of the society, the administrators will send ten of his neighbors who are society members to the home of the baby's father on the eve before the circumcision, before nightfall, to pray the evening prayers on time, and they will remain to study Mishnayot until after midnight without pausing. And they will not sit down for a proper meal, thoughthat is customary in our region. Because no source cites such a meal as a seudat mitzvah and night was given for [Torah] study, and it causes many to waste their time on frivolous conversation. However, the custom of serving fruit, various pastries and black coffee to keep them awake is a pleasing and acceptable practice…".
This ledger contains a veritable treasure trove of data about the city of Ujhel and its community leaders during the first half of the 19th century.
R. Moshe Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Ujhel (1759-1841), was an illustrious Chassidic leader in Hungary and Galicia. An outstanding Torah scholar and G-dly Kabbalist, sharp and proficient in all facets of Torah, revealed as well as hidden. During his lifetime, he became famous as an awesome holy divine figure, with Divine Inspiration, who worked wonders. He first served in the Shinova (Sieniawa) rabbinate from 1785-1808, and in 1808, was appointed rabbi of Ujhel and its region. During the first half of his life, R. Moshe was an opponent of Chassidism, and in his youth, he travelled to Vilna to study Torah from the Vilna Gaon (R. B. Landau, HaGaon HeChassid MiVilna, p. 291, in the name of R. Zalman Weber. The Klausenburg Rebbe cites an interesting testimony from that visit, which his great-grandfather the Yismach Moshe related about the conduct of the Vilna Gaon with his disciples – Responsa Divrei Yatziv, Part IV, Yoreh De'ah, section 131). Over the years, R. Moshe gravitated towards Chassidism, influenced by his son-in-law R. Aryeh Leib Lifshitz of Vishnitsa‎, author of the Responsa Aryeh D'Bei Ila'i, who convinced his father-in-law to travel to the Chozeh of Lublin. There, R. Moshe saw obvious revelations of Divine Inspiration, and became the Chozeh's close disciple, adhering to Chassidism and disseminating its doctrines throughout the region. This transformation took place while he was still officiating as rabbi of Shinova. He also travelled to the Ohev Yisrael of Apta. From 1815, R. Moshe began distributing amulets to those requiring salvation and "the pen cannot properly describe the wonders performed by those amulets". Reputedly, he deliberated whether to continue writing amulets until he heard a pronouncement from Heaven: "Do not fear for I am with you" (Tehilla L'Moshe). Until this day, most of the texts of amulets and "protections" in Ashkenazi countries are attributed to the Yismach Moshe, including the printed text of the "Protection for the infant and the mother" and "Protection from epidemic". Also the text of the renowned Kerestir amulets, inscribed by Chassidic rebbes for safeguarding home and property, originates from him.
His published writings include the well-known books of homilies - Yismach Moshe on the Torah, Megillot and on Talmudic Aggadot, Tefilla L'Moshe on Tehillim, Responsa Heshiv Moshe and other books. His book Maayan Tahor, with the laws of Nidda in Yiddish for Jewish women, was appended to many siddurim.
R. Yosef Shaul Nathansohn, Rabbi of Lemberg, in his approbation to Responsa Heshiv Moshe, writes that in his youth the author "knew by heart about 800 leaves of the Talmud, all arranged... He was a disciple of the holy Torah scholar, author of Drishat Ari… and received Torah and practical Kabbalah from this righteous man, and I have heard awesome things about him while he was in Ujhel…". Although he and the Chatam Sofer disagreed on several issues, they were close friends and greatly esteemed one another. The Chatam Sofer would use effusive expressions of love and reverence in his correspondence to R. Moshe. Once, the Chatam Sofer's son, the Ktav Sofer, contracted a serious illness and the Chatam Sofer appeared to the Yismach Moshe during his prayers on Yom Kippur requesting he pray for his son's salvation. The next day, R. Moshe indeed received a letter from the Chatam Sofer with his request to pray for his son (Tehilla L'Moshe).
According to the testimony of his grandson, the Yitav Lev, Rebbe of Sighet (cited in several places in his books), his grandfather R. Moshe Teitelbaum merited celestial revelations and visions. Once, upon concluding the Amidah prayer, he requested of G-d to merit to see a revelation of what the Rama of Fano wrote in his book Asara Maamarot, that after the destruction of Beit HaMikdash, Eliyahu Hanavi brings the daily Tamid sacrifice. "As soon as he prayed for this, G-d fulfilled his request and he saw with his own eyes Eliyahu clad in priestly garments, standing and sacrificing the Korban Tamid, and this was publicly known" (Yitav Lev). This same grandson also recounts that once he "sat with him (his grandfather) several hours after midnight and he told him a number of awe-inspiring things… Believe me that the angels gather to hear my words… I also hear the announcements made in Heaven…". In many places in his books, the Yismach Moshe cites lofty Torah novellae which were revealed to him in his dreams, sometimes even mentioning the date, such as "On the second day of Rosh Chodesh Adar 1796, I fell asleep on the couch and it was revealed to me…"; "According to a revelation in my dreams regarding the Gan Eden of the Tana'im…". Also, many souls of venerable tzaddikim from the Upper World would appear to him in his room, especially during the Simchat Torah dancing (Tehilla L'Moshe).
[5], 1, [2], 2-23, 25-27, 30-77, [72] leaves. Including 106 written pages (the two leaves bound after leaf 1 are not part of the original ledger). 38 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. New leather binding.
Literature: R. M.A.Z. Kunstlicher, Alei Zikaron, 28, Kislev 2016, pp. 2-17 – "Regulations of the Talmud Torah Society of the Ujhel community – 1822 – With the Endorsement of the Yismach Moshe"; see further: Alei Zikaron, 29, pp. 92-93; HaChatam Sofer V'Talmidav, pp. 245-246, 412.