Atzei Chaim – Responsa, Laws of Mikvaot and Gittin – First Editions – Sighet, 1939

Atzei Chaim – Responsa, Laws of Mikvaot and Gittin – First Editions – Sighet, 1939

Atzei Chaim, three parts in two volumes – first editions of the books of Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației):

1-2. Atzei Chaim, Part I – Responsa on the four parts of the Shulchan Aruch, with Part II on laws of Mikvaot. Sighet: Yaakov Grünwald, [1939]. Two parts in one volume; divisional title pages. At the beginning of Part I, introduction by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet (born 1912, perished in the Holocaust 1944) in praise of his father, the author.

In Elul 1939 (the year the book was printed), the present copy was given as a gift to R. Menachem Mendel Eckstein by the directors of the New York office of the Etz Chaim yeshiva. On the endpaper is a dedication from the yeshiva's directors: "For an eternal remembrance, from the office of the holy yeshiva Etz Chaim, Sighet, in New York City, to R. Menachem Mendel Eckstein, Rabbi in Cleveland, Ohio, who was a dear and faithful friend to the Rebbe, author of this book"; under this dedication appear two official stamps of the yeshiva.

The recipient of the book, R. Menachem Mendel Eckstein (1884-1946), disciple of the Arugat HaBosem of Khust and intimate associate of the Rebbe of Sighet, author of Atzei Chaim. Grand-nephew of the Bnei Yissachar of Dinov. In 1904 he was appointed as lecturer in the Sighet Torah school, and was later appointed as preacher in Crasna. In 1922 he immigrated to the United States, where he was accepted as Rabbi of the Hungarian Etz Chaim Society in New York, and he served as secretary of the Tomchei Torah Society that supported yeshivas in Hungary, Transylvania and Slovakia. In 1926 he moved to Cleveland, Ohio and served as Rabbi of the Maramureş Bnei Yaakov Community. In the booklet Bechi Tamrurin (Tarnów, 1929), a book of eulogies for great Tzaddikim of the generation, he tells of his relationship with the Rebbe, author of our book: "I cannot refrain from mentioning here the passing away of the righteous Gaon, R. Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet in the new country of Romania, to whom I was a friend and frequent visitor, and even here in the United States I received letters from him full of friendship and love – who passed away suddenly at the age of 46…".

Part I: [4], 2-133 leaves. Part II: [2], 3-31 leaves. Approx. 30 cm. Good condition. New binding. Light stains.

3. Atzei Chaim on Tractate Gittin. Sighet: A. Kaufmann and sons, 1939-[1940]. At the beginning of the book, a short introduction by the author's son, Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet (born 1912, perished in the Holocaust 1944), written in Sighet on July 12, 1940, mentioning the current events immediately preceding the Holocaust: "this harshest of times, when terror and unsettlement haunt the entire world, may God save us, and may the merit of the holy author save us from all stumbling and sin… and we pray to the heavenly and awesome God to help us soon, to raise us from the dust of our poverty and lift up our honor, and bring us back as before, and for us to soon merit to see His return to His abode, comforting Zion and Jerusalem…".

[4], 2-45, 45-52 leaves. 30 cm. Good condition. Stains and light wear. Light worming. Inscriptions and stamps. New binding.

Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet, author of Atzei Chaim (1880-1926), son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, author of Kedushat Yom Tov, and son-in-law of Rebbe Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert (son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz). He frequented the courts of the Tzaddikim of his generation, in particular his uncles Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova and Rebbe Baruch of Gorlitz, as well as Rebbe Yehoshua Rokeach of Belz. He was an outstanding Torah scholar, exceptionally holy and God-fearing. Reputedly, he never forgot anything he learned. After his father's passing in 1904, at the young age of 24, he was appointed rabbi and Rebbe of Sighet (capital of the Maramureș County) and became known as one of the leaders of Hungarian Jewry and the Orthodox Bureau of the country. He was very influential, and his opinion regarding the appointment of rabbis, dayanim and shochatim was conclusive in Hungarian Orthodox communities, especially in communities with a dominant constituency of Sighet Chassidim (Sighet was the largest and principal Chassidic court in Maramureș). His younger brother was Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar.