This Seder plate was used by the Admor Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz – “The Ribnitzer Rebbe” – for Seder night, immediately upon his ascent from Russia to the Land of Israel in 1973 with only the shirt on his back and the cap on his head.
It is known across the entire diaspora that objects used by tzaddikim constitute a good omen for material and spiritual success, as stated in Minchat Elazar , “Something used by a tzaddik, although it is a physical object, brings knowledge and good things in this world.” The Chatam Sofer also mentions this; it is mentioned in Ben Ish Chai and other books. And this plate in particular, with which the Rebbe performed his holy service on Seder night, the night which according to the Ar”i’s writings and Chassidic tradition, is the most uplifting night of the year, the night of the greatest revelations among the Chassidic leaders. And especially this specific year with the Rebbe, the year in which he went from servitude behind the iron curtain to freedom in Jerusalem.
The holy Admor Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz [1898-1996] , known as “The Ribnitzer Rebbe,” or “The Rimnitzer Rebbe,” was a wondrous tzaddik and holy man. It was said of him that he was “A tzaddik from previous generations.” When he was two and a half years old, his father passed away, and the wondrous tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Matityahu Friedman “The rebbe of Shtefanesht,” who had no children of his own, adopted him and raised him as a son, and used to say of him, “You are my chiddush.”
He was totally dedicated and nothing deterred him from observing a mitzvah. He would devotedly circumcise Jewish children in Communist Russia – even the sons of government officials, occasionally without their fathers’ knowledge. A well-known story: Once, the wife of a senior officer in the Red Army asked the rebbe to circumcise her son, without her husband’s knowledge. He went there with his friend, the Chabad mashpi’ah Rabbi Mendel Futerfas. Rabbi Mendel was the sandak and the rebbe was the mohel. After the circumcision, the baby did not stop bleeding and the mother started crying out loudly. The four of them were in mortal danger. The rebbe threw his tallit over himself and the baby together and prayed: “Master of the Universe, I came here to observe your mitzvah. Please do not shame me.” And the baby miraculously stopped bleeding. The rebbe would break through the layer of ice above the lake and though the resulting hole, he would immerse himself in the river underneath, taking the mortal risk that he might not find his way back up. Until his old age, he used to immerse himself many times in the mikveh, and would do it astonishingly quickly. In Russia, the Ribnitzer Rebbe had two close friends with whom he studied many talmudic topics. (He said of himself that at 18 years old, he knew the entire Talmud with Rash”i’s commentary.) All three friends eventually became Chassidic leaders: the Rebbe, the Admor of Skver and the Admor of Skulen.
There is a Jew living in Monsey, NY, USA today (his name is in our records) who was childless, and the rebbe promised him that he will experience salvation on Seder night. For many years, he still hadn’t experienced salvation, and he almost despaired. On Seder night, half a year after the Rebbe’s passing, his only son was born.
He was known as having divine inspiration and as a salvation-worker. Thousands came to him and were saved by his blessings. He passed away at an advanced age, close to a hundred. Masses visit his grave in Monsey on the day of his yahrtzeit, as well as other days. One of his well-known Chassidim is Mordechai Ben David, who dedicated the song ‘Oy Rebbe’ in his album Ein Od Milvado to him.
Hand-made silver-plated copper plate stamped “DORON HAND MADE IN JERUSALEM.” There are indentations for the simanim of the Seder, and engravings of the names of the simanim, stars, flowers and an illustration of David’s Tower with the Hebrew word “Jerusalem.”
Plate diameter: 36 cm.
Very fine condition.
Signed confirmation by the Admor’s shammash testifying that the Admor used this holy plate on seder night.
Stamp of “Yisrael Friedman of Husiatyn” on the title page. On leaf 2, a Chassid of the Rebbe’s, who apparently gave the Rebbe the book as a gift, wrote his Hebrew name and his request: “Yisrael son of Dresil, for physical health.”
Rabbi Yisrael Friedman, the second Admor of the Husiatyn Chassidism, was among the Admors of Ruzhin. In his later years, at the age of 80, he immigrated to the Land of Israel, while pleading with his Chassidim to escape “even in slippers” to the Land of Israel. He settled in Tel Aviv where he reestablished the Husiatyn Chassidism ( Encyclopedia L’Chassidut , pp. 561). In 1942, the Germans approached the Land of Israel and fear took hold of the Jewish settlement. Due to the situation, the Rebbe came to pray in Jerusalem, at the grave of the holy author of Ohr HaChaim . After saying Psalms, he told the public that he saw G-d’s name glowing on the grave and this was a sign that “the bitter enemy will not conquer our country”. And so it was.
[1], 190, 104, 59 leaves. 27 cm. Moderate-fine condition. Several leaves are loose. A few tears in the margins. Original chafed binding.
Tractate Berachot. Warsaw, 1863. Bound in an elegant leather binding with gold embossing. On the page before the title page, there are two owner stamps: הרב גדליה משה גולדמן בהרה”צ אדמו”ר שלמה זצוק”ל מזוועהיל. On the back of the title page there is an owner’s notation in the holy hand of the hidden tzaddik, the milkman Rabbi Shlomo Prishtik, son-in-law of the Admor, Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe: שלמה פרישטיק גר אצל הר”ג גולדמן. Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe Goldman [1887-1949] was the fifth Admor in the Zvhil dynasty. He was persecuted by the Soviet government and sentenced to seven years of hard labor in Siberia. He declared to the judges that “no person even bends a finger down here in this world, unless it was so commanded in the heavens above.” In 1937 he fled Russia and moved to the Land of Israel where he settled in Jerusalem. After the passing of his father, Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil, he started serving as Admor and was a noted miracle-worker. Thousands visited his home seeking advice and blessings. He was buried in the Givat Ram (Sheikh Badr) cemetery and his grave has recently become a pilgrimage site. Word of this holy grave spread following a dream by a Jew from England – the Admor appeared to him in this dream and told him that if he would pray on Monday, Thursday and Monday again (sequentially) he would merit salvation.
The hidden tzaddik, Rabbi Shlomo Prishtik [1905-2006] was the son-in-law of Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe of Zvhil. He was renowned in Jerusalem, and known as “Rav Shlomele der Milchiger” because he worked as a milkman. He cheered everyone with his special sayings. He was extremely modest and humble and fled far from honor, never revealing his greatness. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlom’ke of Zhvil, who chose him as his granddaughter’s son-in-law of despite the fact that he reached the Land of Israel as a refugee and was “Litvish” – said many lofty things about his piety and asceticism.
64; 88 leaves. 23 cm. Owner stamps and notations. Moderate condition. Dampstains and mold, not affecting text. Tears in the blank margins.
Rabbi Yehudah Hager-Horowitz [1905-1989] was known as “Rebbe Yehudahl’e Dzikover.” He was the son of Rabbi Alter Yechezkel Eliyahu, the Admor of Dzikow; and the grandson of Rabbi Yisrael of Vizhnitz. He studied under Rabbi Meir Arik. He married the daughter of his cousin, Rabbi Chaim Meir of Vizhnitz. In 1936, he served as dayan in Klausenberg. His father was killed in the Holocaust, but he adamantly refused to succeed his father as Admor of Dzikow. Despite this, many people were drawn to him, and he was known as a lofty, righteous person. He lived his last years in London, and was buried there. His grave has since become a pilgrimage site. His Torah and comments on a number of works have been printed recently. His letters are very rare.
Refer to Alfasi, section II 3-4.
The letter consists of 12 lines in which R’ Yehudahl’e blesses the recipient upon the engagement of his daughter and wishes him mazal tov: “Yehi ratzon … that it should be a successful match and that you merit to see nachas from her and all your descendants …mazal tov to the groom and his family.”
[3] pages. 14×19 cm. All in his hand and with his signature. Very fine condition.
Binat Yisrael . Chassidic articles on the Torah and festivals by the Admor Rabbi Yisrael Shapira of Grodzinsk. Warsaw, 1938. First edition. Handwritten dedication by the author.
There is a handwritten dedication by the Admor: “Dedicated to my dear grandson, may he be strengthened and blessed … M. Zeev shlit”a, as a sign of love and affection, Yisrael Shapira son of RChM”Y ztzh”h.”
The Admor Rabbi Yisrael Shapira of Grodzinsk [1874-1941] son of Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira, who was the son of Rabbi Elimelech of Grodzinsk and the son-in-law of Rabbi Yitzchak of Bohosh. In 1892, after his grandfather’s passing, he was appointed Admor in the town of Grodzinsk, at the age of only 18. During WWI, he moved to Warsaw, and he led a large Chassidic court there. He was one of the leading Admors of Poland. He resided in the Warsaw ghetto together with his Chassidim during the Holocaust, and refused attempts to rescue him alone. He was transferred to the Treblinka extermination camp. His final words before he was killed were preserved [see: Alfasi, Encyclopedia L’Chassidut B 575-576].
[2], 178-5 pages, 27 cm. Fine condition. Tears in the corners of the binding.
On the title page: Rabbi Yisrael Moshe Lipschitz son of Rabbi Yechiel Meir of Gastanine. The Admor Rabbi Yechiel Meir was also known as “The Good Jew of Gastanin.” In his youth, he followed the Admor of Kotzk, and then he traveled to the author of Chiddushei HaRY”M and to Rabbi Avraham of Chechnov. After his father’s passing in 1888, he served as Admor, and settled in Proshkov, where he conducted his court until his passing in 1918 at a very advanced age. Refer to: Alfasi, Chassidut II , 600.
With the inscription: Ben Tziyon son of Feiga, apparently a name for prayer which was given to the Admor. Fine condition. Aging stains. Unbound.
She’elot V’Teshuvot Shearit Yosef by Rabbi Yosef Katz of Krakow, brother-in-law of the Rema. Furth, 1767.
With the signature of Rabbi Naftali Hirsch, son of Yisrael HaKohen of Satanow, rabbi of Berditchov in Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov’s time. He corresponded with the Baal HaTanya regarding a halachic issue.
Some of the most noted responsa by the Baal HaTanya are those relating to “sirchot harei’ah” (siman 12 14) in his responsa printed at the end of the Shulchan Aruch. They begin with an answer to a question posed to him when he was in Berditchov in 1810: “In agreement with and following the rabbi … the gaon and chassid … the departed Levi Yitzchak ztz”l, Av Beit Din in Berditchov, to permit a sircha which has undergone …” While he was still in Berditchov, he received an inquiry from the rabbi of Brisk, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Katzenelbogen, regarding this decision. It seems that the Baal HaTanya’s responsum reached Berditchov on its way to Brisk, and its rabbi, R’ Naftali Hirsh HaKohen, wrote a response disagreeing with the Baal HaTanya, and he added a question on the topic from Bava Kama. The Baal HaTanya answered the rabbi’s questions. Rabbi Naftali was not satisfied with the Baal HaTanya’s response and sent him a rebuttal. However, that rebuttal was not printed in the aforementioned work of responsa. It was, however, preserved in Rabbi Naftali’s manuscript Tiferet Yesharah , which includes elucidations on the Torah and responsa. It was printed in two locations. The section regarding “sirchot” was printed in the Ohalei Tam journal (section five) and the section regarding the topic in Bava Kama was printed in the Migdal David compilation, section five, p. 19. This is also the source of our information.
Condition: Moderate. Light brown stains. Various blemishes to a number of leaves. Minimal worming holes. New binding.
Reishit Chochmah . Lemberg, 1877. Gifted in [1915], a year after he was appointed to the rabbinate in Sighet.
The endpaper bears a penciled notation [in Hebrew]: “This Reishit Chochmah was given to me by Rabbi … of Sighet … Chaim Tzvi … shilt”a … as a doron drasha [wedding present].
Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, the Admor of Sighet, (1880-1926) , “The great among giants, the glory of Israel, Admor HaRav HaGaon, the great, the holy, noted for his Torah and wisdom in all corners of the world … Maran Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet and region” (quote from the title page of his book) was an outstanding genius and it was said that he never forgot anything he learned. He was one of the leading Admors in his generation and a leader of Hungarian Jewry. He taught hundreds of disciples and masses flocked to him.
He was born in 1880. His father was Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, author of the Kedushat Yom Tov and son of the author of Yitav Lev . He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert, son of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz. In 1904, he succeeded his father in the Sighet rabbinate and in the Chassidic court – at merely 24 years old. He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage when he was with his followers in Kleinwardein and passed away in 1926 at only 46 years of age. His works on the Talmud, Torah and festivals are called Atzei Chaim.
85, 147 leaves. 21 cm. Moderate-fine condition. Aging stains. Two holes through the entire book. Not bound.
Collection of [5] books with signatures and stamps of the Admor Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Shapira of Grodzinsk.
* Yalkut Reuveni . Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim. Warsaw, 1833.
* Torat Moshe . Alsheich, Vayera. Warsaw, 1860.
* HaMashbir or Aruch HaChadash . Warsaw, 1858. Title page lacking.
* Tziyon Darash . New York, 1966.
* Shu”t Rabbi Akiva Eiger , Jerusalem, 1950. Handwritten signature and stamps of the Admor in all the books.
The Admor Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Shapira was born in 1897 to his father, the Admor Rabbi Yisrael Shapira of Grodzinsk. He immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1926 and refused to serve as an Admor. Only after the Holocaust, learning of the deaths of his family members, did he agree to serve as the Admor of the Grodzinsk Chassidim and he opened a synagogue in the Zichron Moshe neighborhood. He passed away in 1964. His Torah appears in the books Emunat Yisrael and Binat Yisrael by his father.
Size and condition vary. Fine overall condition.
Irin Kaddishin . Compilations on Torah and festivals by Rabbi Yisrael Friedman, founder of the Chassidic dynasty of Ruzhin, and his son Rabbi Yaakov, the first Admor of Sadigura.
Pedigree copy: This copy belonged to the Admor Rabbi Yisrael Shapira of Grodzinsk, and was passed on to his son, Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Shapira of Grodzhinsk. Many stamps of the Admor Rabbi Yisrael, and signatures and stamps of his son, Rabbi Avraham Elimelech, appear among the leaves of this book.
The Admor Rabbi Yisrael Shapira of Grodzhinsk [1874-1941] was the son of Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira, who was the son of Rabbi Elimelech of Grodzhinsk and son-in-law of Rabbi Yitzchak of Bohosh. Rabbi Yisrael was orphaned at a young age and grew up under the supervision of both his grandfathers. In 1892, after his grandfather’s passing, he was appointed Admor of Grodzhinsk, when he was just 18 years old. He moved to Warsaw during WWI and conducted a large court there, where he was one of the leading Admors of Poland. He stayed in the Warsaw ghetto with his Chassidim during the Holocaust, and did not consent to attempts to rescue him by himself. He was deported to the Treblinka extermination camp, and the final words of faith he said before he was murdered have been preserved [refer to: Alfasi, Encyclopedia L’Chassidut II , 575-576]. Some of his Torah thoughts are included in the books Emunat Yisrael and Binat Yisrael . His son, Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Shapira, was born in 1897. He immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1926 and refused to serve as an Admor. He only agreed to serve as Admor of the Chassidim of Grodzhinsk after the Holocaust, when he was informed of his relatives’ deaths. He opened a synagogue in the Zichron Moshe neighborhood. He passed away in 1964. Some of his Torah thoughts are included in his father’s books.
11, 13-65 leaves. Two title pages. 18 cm. Fine condition.
Birkat HaBayit . Halachic rulings on Orach Chaim by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Einhorn. Sighet, 1893. Two parts. First edition. Signature of the Admor Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Sighet.
Handwritten signature: “The small one, Moshe Teitelbaum” and stamp: “Moshe Teitelbaum, M. Sighet” and additional owners’ signatures. Some leaves contain glosses by an unidentified writer.
The Admor Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Satmar [1914-2016] was born in Sighet, Romania, to his father, the author of Atzei Chaim , of Sighet. On his mother’s side, he was a great-grandson of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz and a descendant of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. He was a disciple of his great uncle, the Admor of Satmar. He was sent to Auschwitz with his entire family, where his wife and three children were murdered. After the Holocaust, he returned to Sighet and attempted to renew religious life among the survivors. During his time in Sighet, he got married for a second time, to the daughter of Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum of Volovo. Due to his concern about the new Communist regime, he immigrated to the United States. There he met with his uncle, Rabbi Yoel, who was also saved from the War, and he joined him in his public projects. He settled in Borough Park, where he established the Atzei Chaim Sighet synagogue, named for his father. He was appointed heir and successor to his uncle after the Admor of Satmar’s passing (without any children among the living); crowned revered rabbi of the Satmar Chassidim, serving from 1979 until his passing. He also served as president of the Edah HaChareidit in the Land of Israel.
Fine-very fine condition. Slight tear running through the title page and the subsequent pages. Few stains. New binding.
* Siddur Meirat Eynayim HaShalem per the Sephardic custom. Tel Aviv, 1962. The Admor’s signature: This belongs to me, the small one, Yosef Leifer. After that, there are handwritten lines added – a prayer to recite before placement of the tefillin, and at the end, a manuscript (apparently) by the Admor.
* Binah L’Itim , by Rabbi Azariah Figo. Lemberg, 1816. Two parts. [3], 38; 55 leaves. The Admor’s signature appears on the flyleaf, and ownership inscriptions in Hebrew and a foreign language. There is an additional signature on leaf 30: Leib Segal, and with more signatures.
* Yesod HaEmunah , a work on faith by Rabbi Yosef Yaavetz. [Lemberg] at Avraham Yosef Madpis Press [c. 1840]. 14 [1] leaf, 20 cm. Signature on the flyleaf: the small one, Yosef Leifer, with the Admor’s stamps on the title page.
Rabbi Yosef Leifer, the first Admor of Pittsburgh, was born in 1891 to his father the Admor Rabbi Yissachar Dov (Berche-Bertzi) of Satmar who was the son of Rabbi Mordechai of Nadvorna. He studied under Rabbi Yehudah Greenwald, rabbi of Satmar. When he married, he also started to serve as Admor in a number of places, after which he settled in Pittsburgh, in the United States. He established an important Chassidic center there. He passed away in 1966; his Torah thoughts appear in Tzidkat Yosef . His son is the Admor Rabbi Avraham Abba of Pittsburgh, who resides in Ashdod.
Refer to: Alfasi, Encyclopedia L’Chassidut II , 116-117.
Various sizes and conditions. Overall fine condition.
