Yitav Lev – First Edition – Sighet, 1875

Yitav Lev – First Edition – Sighet, 1875

Yitav Lev, Chassidic, homiletical and ethical essays on the Five Books of the Torah [by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet]. Sighet (Sighetu Marmației): Maramaroscher Actien-Buchdruckerei, 1875. First edition.
Five parts in five volumes. Main title page at the beginning of part I, and five divisional title pages for each book of the Torah.
The book was printed anonymously in the author's lifetime. The book title is an acronym alluding to the name of the author – Yitav = Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum.
Stamp on the title page of Bereshit volume: "R. Shalom Eichenstein of Zidichov, Safed" (author of Rav Shalom; rebbe in Romania, Safed and the United States, son of Rebbe Asher Yeshaya of Pruchnik).
Stamps and signatures in Shemot volume: "R. Shalom Rosenthal"; "David Alter of Nagykálló ". Stamps in Bamidbar and Devarim volumes: "Mordechai Friedman Schub"; stamps "Káhán Pinkasz" (in Latin characters).

Five parts in five volumes.
• Vol. I (Bereshit): [4], 2-141, [2] leaves.
• Vol. II (Shemot): [2], 3-91 leaves. Errata bound at end of Vayikra vol.
• Vol. III (Vayikra): [4], 2-55, [2] leaves.
• Vol. IV (Bamidbar): [2], 2-80, [1] leaves.
• Vol. V (Devarim): [2], 2-52, 55-70, [1] leaves.

Approx. 24 cm. Good condition. Creases and wear. Marginal open tears to several leaves, repaired in part with paper. Marginal tears to title page of Bereshit, affecting border. New bindings.

Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet – the Yitav Lev (1808-1883), son of R. Elazar Nisan Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet, and son-in-law of R. Moshe David Ashkenazi – rabbi of Tolcsva who immigrated to Safed. He was a close disciple of his grandfather the Yismach Moshe – Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ujhel, who drew him especially close and disclosed to him Heavenly revelations which he had perceived with Divine inspiration. He was also a disciple of Rebbe Asher Yeshaya of Ropshitz. In 1833 (at the age of 25), he was appointed rabbi of Stropkov, and after the passing of his illustrious grandfather, he was selected to succeed him as rabbi of Ujhel. He was then appointed rabbi of Gorlitz (Gorlice), and later of Drohobych. In 1858, he went to serve as rabbi of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), capital of the Maramureș region, and founded there a large yeshiva, which numbered at its zenith two hundred students. Amongst his renowned disciples from that time was R. Shlomo Leib Tabak author of Erech Shai and head of the Sighet Beit Din. His grandson attested that "he was a merciful father to his disciples, carrying them on his shoulders as a nurse carries a suckling, and overseeing each one individually to ensure they studied Torah in holiness and purity". In Sighet, he earned worldwide renown, and thousands of Chassidim flocked to seek his counsel and wisdom, blessings and salvation. He was renowned for his exceptional holiness, and his grandson R. Yoel of Satmar attested that his holiness was never tainted. Numerous stories circulated of the wonders he performed, including incredible insights which were revealed to him with Divine Inspiration and through his exceptional wisdom. He was reputed in his generation as one who could read the minds of those standing before him, and amazing stories were told of this ability. His epitaph reads: "The renowned rabbi, he edified upstanding and reputable disciples, left behind valuable compositions". He is renowned for his books: Yitav Lev on the Torah, Yitav Panim on the Festivals, Rav Tuv on the Torah and Responsa Avnei Tzedek.