Lev Tov, laws, ethics and customs (vowelized Yiddish), by R. Yitzchak son of R. Elyakim of Posen. Vilna, 1864.
Copy of R. Nachum'ke of Horodna (Grodno). His stamp appears on five leaves: " Nachum son of R. Uziel Kaplan of Horodna".
R. Nachum'ke of Horodna – R. Menachem Nachum son of R. Uziel Kaplan (1811-1879) was a renowned tzaddik and charity collector. He was a Torah scholar known for his great diligence and brilliance, yet he never held a rabbinical position. The Chafetz Chaim considered him his prime teacher. At the age of 15, the Chafetz Chaim traveled to Horodna to observe R. Nachum'ke's good deeds, which were performed modestly and covertly. He later related that he managed to see his teacher secretly studying kabbalistic books at night and that he was surrounded by Divine fire (the Maggid R. Shalom Schwadron heard this from R. Leib Grossnass, as heard from R. Shalom of Eišiškės, a disciple of the Chafetz Chaim who heard it directly from his teacher; see: She'al Avicha V'Yagedcha, II, Jerusalem 1997, pp. 278-281).
R. Nachum'ke was famous and venerated throughout Lithuania and Poland. After his passing, most baby boys born in Grodno were named Nachum after him. In many Lithuanian and Polish homes, R. Nachum'ke's portrait was placed alongside the portraits of the Gaon of Vilna and R. Yitzchak Elchanan of Kovno.
R. Nachum'ke was born in the town of Baisogala in Northern-Lithuania (in Zamut – Samogitia) to a poor family of laborers. In his formative years, he had to wander from place to place in hunger. He was even sent to join a wandering children's choir led by a cantor. He later studied for several years in Siauliai, where he acquired vast Torah knowledge. After getting married, he lived in Nesvizh, later travelling to Volozhin to study at the Volozhin Yeshiva, where he was known as "the Matmid of Zamut". From Volozhin he moved to Kovno, where he studied in seclusion for several years. During that period, he used to devote entire weeks to Torah study, studying ceaselessly without speaking whatsoever of mundane matters, with little food or sleep. After such intensive weeks, he used to take care of his personal needs (washing and mending his clothing, corresponding with his family, etc.). Every year, in the month of Elul, he travelled to one of the small villages in his area to study Torah and devote himself to G-d's service in seclusion. He then travelled to Nesvizh to spend the holiday of Sukkot with his family, returning to his routine study schedule in Kovno after Simchat Torah.
In 1833, he moved with his family to Grodno, where he taught in the Chevra Shas synagogue and studied Torah alongside the Torah scholars of the city. He chose to devote his life to performing chessed rather than serving in the rabbanut. After several years, he accepted the position of shammash at the Chevra Shas Synagogue, and in addition to managing and cleaning the synagogue, he delivered discourses to laymen and young students. He devotedly collected money for the needy, going from house to house even during storms and blizzards, and secretly distributed the money to impoverished Torah scholars and to the poor population of the city, Jews and non-Jews alike. He was renowned among the non-Jewish population (a story by the Polish writer Eliza Orzeszkowa describes the care he afforded to the son of a poor widow).
Many were saved after giving him their donations to charity and receiving his blessings. When asked if he believes that his blessings are fulfilled, R. Nachum'ke answered that since he never spoke a false word, G-d does not allow his words to be false and fulfills his blessings (Toldot Menachem, p. 93).
His personal life was filled with suffering. He lost 20 children in his lifetime and was left with only one daughter (wife of R. Gavriel Zev Margolies, Rabbi in Grodno and in the United States), and his youngest son, R. Tuvia Kaplan who immigrated to Jerusalem.
Books from R. Nachum'ke's library, which was lost over the years, are very rare (to the best of our knowledge, no book belonging to R. Nachum of Grodno or letter bearing his signature have been offered at an auction). The book Toldot Menachem (Piotrków, 1913, p. 92) recounts R. Nachum'ke's love of books and his joy upon purchasing a book with his limited funds. He used to say: "He who loves money will not be sated with money and he who loves books will not be sated with books". He also used to say (in the name of an early midrash): "A person should always sell his possessions and purchase books".
[1], 2-96 leaves. 21 cm. High-quality paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear. New binding, with leather spine.

Siddur Beit Yaakov by R. Yaakov Emden, Nusach Sefard, with Seder Maamadot and Tehillim. New York: Otzar HaSefarim Publications, [ca. 1970s. Photocopy of the Lemberg 1904 edition].
Thick comprehensive siddur, containing the commentary of the Yaavetz and many prayers not included in other siddurim.
The copy of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, which was used by him extensively and bears signs of heavy usage (it appears that the Rebbe utilized this siddur for prayers at home, as the wear and stains appear primarily on the leaves of Tikun Chatzot, Hanhagat HaBoker, Seder Hanachat Tefillin, "Prayers before praying", Seder Brit Milah, Shabbat songs, Seder Ushpizin, Netilat Lulav, Hadlakat Ner Chanukah, Tehillim and the Tzetel Katan of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk).
The Siddur bears stamps of the Rebbe: "Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz, Rabbi of Ribnitz". The name of the Rebbe is also debossed on the front binding. A handwritten leaf with charts for reciting Tehillim, arranged according to the days of the month, is taped to the back pastedown. The front endpapers contain kvitels of various people, who wrote down their name and the name of their mother, in order for the Rebbe to mention them in in his prayers while using this siddur.
R. Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz, The Ribnitzer Rebbe (1898-1996), was born in Botoșani, Romania, and was orphaned from his father at the age of two and a half. An exceptional Torah scholar, tzaddik and wonder-worker, he served as rebbe under the Communist rule in Romania, at much danger to his life. As a young orphan, he was raised in the house of R. Yehuda Aryeh Leib Frankel of Botoșani and was rabbinically ordained by R. Yehuda Leib Tzirelson. He had especially close ties to Rebbe Avraham Matityahu Freidman of Ştefăneşti. Reputedly, the Rebbe of Ştefăneşti, who had no children, used to call him "my dear son", and he in turn would say about the Rebbe of Ştefăneşti: "I am his only son". The Rebbe of Ştefăneşti told R. Abramowitz on his death bed: "I am bequeathing you three things, my Divine Spirit, my form and my grace". R. Abramowitz was an outstanding Torah genius and extremely well-versed in Torah knowledge; at the age of 18, he already knew the entire Talmud. Known from his youth for his virtuous ascetic conduct, he practiced acts of self-denial, such as immersing in icy water, fasting for days wrapped in his tallit and tefillin, and reciting Tikun Chatzot while wearing sackcloth, shedding bitter tears for many hours.
In the wake of World War II, many rabbis left Russian-occupied areas due to the difficulties in maintaining religious Jewish life under Communist rule, but he remained in the city of Râbniţa (today Moldova), devotedly serving as a Chassidic rebbe. In spite of governmental prohibitions, he continued observing all the mitzvot openly, performing the duties of a shochet, mohel and Torah teacher. In his merit, Chassidic life was fully preserved behind the Iron Curtain. Communist officials knew of his activities yet respected him. Reputedly, he was once arrested for his actions, but was released upon promising that the judge's wife would be cured if he was freed.
After the Iron Curtain fell, he immigrated to Jerusalem and thereafter to the United States, where masses flocked to his door. He was known to possess the Divine Spirit and said of himself that he could see "from one end of the world to the other". His fame spread as a tzaddik and wonder-worker. Thousands came to ask his advice and receive his blessings, and saw incredible divine salvation. His blessings helped cure illnesses, and helped many find their match and give birth to children. He was an exceptional Ohev Yisrael and would bitterly shed tears when he heard of the pain of another Jew. He used to say that the salvations he achieved were in the merit of feeling the pain of his brethren and his tears and prayers on behalf of the distressed.
He passed away when he was nearly 100 years old. Thousands visit his grave in Monsey, New York, each year. The singer Mordechai ben David (Werdiger), who was a devoted Chassid of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, dedicated the song "Oy, Rebbe" (from his album "Ein Od Milvado") to the Rebbe.
[2], 3-406, 1-20, 433-472 leaves. Approx. 23 cm. Good-fair condition. Many stains. Creases and wear to some leaves (see above). Tears with minor damage to text in some leaves. Several detached leaves. Wine stains to seder Brit Milah, Shabbat songs and kiddush for Rosh Hashanah. Oil and wax stains to the seder Hadlakat Ner Chanukah. Stamps. Original fabric binding.