Pnei Yehoshua – Signatures of the Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Sanzer and of Rabbi David Tevele – Leading Torah Scholars ...

Pnei Yehoshua – Signatures of the Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Sanzer and of Rabbi David Tevele – Leading Torah Scholars of the Brody Kloiz, in the Times of the Noda BiYehuda and the Baal Shem Tov
Pnei Yehoshua on the Talmud, by R. Yaakov Yehoshua Rabbi of Metz, Lviv and Frankfurt. Complete set in four volumes, printed in Frankfurt and Fürth ca. 1752-1780. Second edition of the first three parts, and first edition of Part IV.
On the title page of vol. II: Handwritten signatures of prominent Torah scholars from the renowned Brody Kloiz, during the times of the Noda BiYehuda and the Baal Shem Tov (18th century): R. Chaim Sanzer, R. David Tevele of Brody (later rabbi of Lissa) and R. Menachem Nachum Heilprin (later rabbi of Starokostiantyniv), grandson of R. Chaim Sanzer.
Four volumes: • Part I, on Tractate Berachot and Order Mo'ed. Frankfurt am Main [second, emended edition, presumably printed in the author's lifetime, since he is mentioned on the title page as amongst the living – between 1752-1756]. • Part II, on Tractates Ketubot, Gittin and Kiddushin. Fürth, [1766. Second edition]. • Part III, on Tractates Bava Kama and Bava Metzia. Fürth, [1779. Second edition]. • Part IV, on Tractates Chullin, Makot and Shevuot, and on Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat. Fürth, [1780. First edition].
Signatures and ownership inscriptions in all the volumes, from rabbis and study halls in Vilkomir (Ukmergė) and Aniksht (Anykščiai; famous Lithuanian towns), and a few handwritten glosses. On the title page of Part II (on Tractate Ketubot): Two signatures of the holy kabbalist R. Chaim Sanzer, head of the Kloiz Torah scholars: "Chaim", "Chaim of Sanz"; signature of R. David Tevele of Brody: "David… Tevele of Brody" (also a Torah scholar of the Brody Kloiz at that time, prior to serving as rabbi of Lissa); many signatures of R. Menachem Nachum Heilprin of Brody, grandson of the aforementioned R. Chaim Sanzer.
R. Chaim Sanzer (1720-1783), a holy, G-dly man, outstanding Torah scholar and kabbalist. A leading Torah scholar of the famous Brody Kloiz. R. Chaim headed the Kloiz already in 1745, at the time when R. Gershon of Kitov (brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov) and the Noda BiYehuda studied there. He delved extensively in the study of Kabbalah, and in prayers with kabbalistic kavanot, engaging considerably in asceticism and fasts. He studied the writings of the Arizal with his colleague the Noda BiYehuda, and a halachic correspondence they exchanged was published in Responsa Noda BiYehuda, with mutual expressions of affection and reverence.
The Baal Shem Tov described his greatness in effusive terms, despite the fact R. Chaim himself did not adopt the way of the Baal Shem Tov, rather fiercely opposing it, according to various traditions. The Baal Shem Tov nonetheless greatly revered him, accepted his opposition with love, and spoke often of his great stature. A Chassidic tradition relates that R. Chaim sent R. Moshe Ostrer, author of Arugat HaBosem, a leading Torah scholar of the Brody Kloiz, to determine the character of the Baal Shem Tov. When R. Moshe took leave of the Baal Shem Tov, the latter requested that when he returns to R. Chaim, he should report all the strange practices he had witnessed, to cause R. Chaim to laugh heartily, since R. Chaim never laughed so, being that his soul originated from that of R. Yochanan ben Zakai, who maintained that a person is proscribed from laughing unrestrainedly in this world. The Baal Shem Tov stated that "whoever causes him pleasure so that he laughs, will thereby acquire a portion in the World to Come" (Shemen HaTov, Piotrków 1905). A different source reports that the Baal Shem Tov sent him his disciples to relay to him tales of the wonders he had performed, so that he should laugh, saying: "The entire celestial entourage rejoices when he is happy and content" (Gedulat Rabbenu Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, Șimleu Silvaniei 1941). Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Munkacs, author of Darchei Teshuva, relates in his book Tiferet Banim (Parashat Devarim) that the Baal Shem Tov sent R. Tzvi Hirsh Rabbi of Chortkov to him to request a blessing for offspring, and in the merit of the words of R. Chaim who blessed him "that he should merit sons who illuminate the Diaspora", he bore his holy sons, R. Pinchas author of Haflaa and R. Shmelke of Nikolsburg (see: Tiferet Banim, Bardejov 1921, p. 136b).
Shivchei HaBaal Shem Tov quotes the Baal Shem Tov who attested that he was a spark from the soul of R. Yochanan ben Zakai. His disciple the Maggid of Mezeritch stated that R. Chaim Sanzer even resembled R. Yochanan ben Zakai in his features (Shivchei HaBaal Shem Tov, Rubinstein edition, p. 304). R. Yaakov Yosef of Polonne, author of Toldot Yaakov Yosef, quotes Torah thoughts from R. Chaim Sanzer repeatedly in his books. See for instance in Ketonet Pasim (Parashat Tazria), where he writes: "And so I heard in the name of my mechutan, the pious R. Chaim Sanzer". R. Tzvi, son of R. Chaim Sanzer, was the son-in-law of the Toldot Yaakov Yosef. Their common granddaughter was orphaned of her mother at a young age and was raised in the home of her grandfather, the Toldot Yaakov Yosef. She later married Rebbe Avraham Dov Ber Auerbach Rabbi of Chmelnik, who was one of the Chassidic leaders in his times, and had frequented the court of the Baal Shem Tov in his youth.
R. Chaim was very influential in the Lviv and Brody regions. He was involved in the famous Cleves divorce affair. He was likewise concerned by the amulets polemic which erupted between R. Yaakov Emden and R. Yehonatan Eybeschutz, and sided with R. Yaakov Emden. Of his many writings, only a few books were published: his glosses on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (Zhitomir 1861) and Ne'dar BaKodesh on Tractate Avot (Lviv 1862).
R. Menachem Nachum Heilprin – whose signature appears many times on the same title page – was the son of R. Shmuel Aharon Rabbi of Matzeyev (Lukov, Ukraine), son of R. Chaim Sanzer. R. Menachem Nachum served as rabbi of Starokostiantyniv, and was buried in Brody. He was presumably named after his great-grandfather R. Menachem Nachum, father of R. Chaim, and his surname was derived from that of his paternal grandmother, wife of R. Chaim, who was the daughter of R. Yosef Heilprin of Brody.
R. David Tevele, Rabbi of Lissa (d. Tevet 1792), was a leading Torah scholar of the Brody Kloiz. He was the son of R. Natan Nota Rabbi of Brody. A foremost Torah scholar in the times of the Noda BiYehuda, and one of the ten Brody scholars involved in the Cleves divorce polemic. He served as rabbi of Zaslov (Iziaslav) and Horchov, and in 1776 was appointed rabbi of Lissa. All the leading Torah scholars of the generation accepted his authority and he exchanged halachic correspondence with many of them, especially with the Noda BiYehuda, R. Meshulam Igra, R. Chaim Kohen of Lviv, R. Meir Posner of Schottland author of Beit Meir, R. Meir Weil of Berlin and R. Akiva Eiger (who in his youth was a cherished disciple of R. David Tevele in Lissa). One of his famous disciples was R. Baruch Fränkel, author of Baruch Taam.
He endeavored to quieten the polemic against the Chassidic movement, his words carrying weight amongst the leaders of his generation. Historic literature of Polish Chassidism includes two stories relating to this: Shem HaGedolim HaChadash (Maarechet Gedolim, Pe, entry R. Pinchas author of Haflaa) records that R. Tzvi Hirsh HaLevi, author of Likutei Tzvi, possessed a letter written by the Haflaa to R. David Tevele of Lissa, requesting that the latter speak to R. Yosef of Poznań, to ask his father-in-law the Noda BiYehuda, rabbi of Prague, not to distress the holy R. Michel of Zlotchov, nor disrupt him from his worship of G-d, since his intent is solely for the sake of Heaven, as R. Shmelke of Nikolsburg testified. Another source recounts that when the Noda BiYehuda, opposing the book Toldot Yaakov Yosef, wished to issue a ban commanding the book to be burnt, R. Shmelke and his brother the Haflaa wrote to R. Tevele of Lissa requesting he quieten the polemic, and R. Tevele wrote a letter to the Noda BiYehuda asking him not to quarrel with disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and of the Maggid of Mezeritch, since "though their ways differ from ours, their intent is for the sake of Heaven". The Noda BiYehuda obeyed him and withdrew (Shemen HaTov, Piotrków 1905, p. 94, section 85, quoting the introduction to Nefesh David). In his book Nefesh David on the Torah, printed in Przemysl in 1878, R. David Tevele quotes a thought in the name of the Maggid of Mezeritch (Nefesh David, Parashat Vayeira, p. 6a).
Part I: [1], 52; 66; 50; 36; 27; 28; 10, [1] leaves. Part II: 4, 214, 219-296, 23 leaves. Part III: [2], 152, [2] leaves. Part IV: [1], 81 leaves.
4 volumes. Approx. 31 cm. Overall good to good-fair condition. Wear and stains. Slight worming. Marginal damage and paper repairs to several leaves. Matching early half-leather bindings, with marbled paper sides. Bindings slightly worn and damaged.
Enclosed: Report from R. Yitzchak Yeshaya Weiss attesting to the authenticity of the signatures of R. Chaim Sanzer, R. David Tevele of Brody and R. Menachem Nachum Heilprin Rabbi of Starokostiantyniv.