Beschreibung:

Divrei Tsaddikim, Vol. 2, compilation of customs and explanations of the mitzvot, by R. Yosef Mordechai Kahana. Sighet, [1876]. Copy of the Rebbe, author of Yitav Lev of Sighet. The endpapers (at the beginning and end of the book) bear several handwritten ownership inscriptions, signed by various disciples, that the book belongs to R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet, [author of Yitav Lev]. For example: "This volume belongs to… R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Sighet…", signed by "His disciple Avraham son of Chaim Leib…". R. Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum (1808-1883), son of R. Elazar Nissan Teitelbaum Rabbi of Drohobych and 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, R. Moshe Teitelbaum, Rabbi of Ujhely, author of Yismach Moshe, who greatly cherished his grandson and divulged his Heavenly revelations to him. He was also a Chassid of R. Asher Yeshaya of Ropczyce [R. Yekutiel Yehuda arranged a meeting between R. Asher and his grandfather, author of Yismach Moshe, who stated that R. Asher is a truly G-d fearing man]. In 1833 (at the age of 25), R. Yekutiel Yehuda was appointed Rabbi of Stropkov, and later succeeded his grandfather as Rabbi of Ujhely. One of the community's leaders demanded that he commits not to serve as rebbe, not to receive pidyonot from Chassidim and to refrain from delivering long lectures. Upon R. Yekutiel's refusal, the person turned to the government who expelled him from the city. At that time, R. Teitelbaum was appointed Rabbi of Gorlice; later he moved to serve as Rabbi of Drohobych. In 1858, he began his tenure as Rabbi of Sighet, capital of the Maramureş county, in which he established a large yeshiva, which at its prime enrolled 200 students. The noted R. Shlomo Leib Tabak, author of Erech Shai and Av Bet Din of Sighet, was among his disciples there. His grandson testified that "he was like a father to them, and carried them on his shoulders like a nurse carries a baby, and guided them to study Torah in holiness and purity". From Sighet, his name became famous throughout the country, and thousands of Chassidim flocked to the city to receive his advice, blessings and salvation. He was known for his great holiness, and his grandson Rebbe Yoel of Satmar attested that he never deviated from his state of holiness. Many wondrous stories are told of him, including amazing things revealed to him with Divine inspiration and with his exceptional wisdom. Also attributed to him was an uncanny ability to read the minds of those before him. The author, R. Yosef Mordechai Kahana, was a disciple of the Yitav Lev, and served as dayan in Técső (Romania). The approbation of the Yitav lev appears in the first volume of this book, which was printed in Sighet in 1874. Various inscriptions, handwritten gloss on leaf 44. [1], 46, [7] leaves. 20.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, wear and tears. Two leaves have open tears in the middle of the leaf affecting text. Contemporary, worn and damaged binding.