Complete set, chamishah chumshei Torah – mikra’ot gedolot Rav Peninim , including the commentary from the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh and many more commentaries. Personal copies of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz. He would use them to review the weekly Torah portions twice with a commentary [‘שניים מקרא ואחד תרגום’], and which he would use during the Torah reading every Shabbat, over many years, as can be observed by the multiple usage stains throughout the chumashim.
The set of chumashim before us was received by the Rebbe as a gift to remember him by one of his Chassidim. As appears in the flyleaf of each on of the chumashim, there is a typed dedication from the giver: “A gift for the Admo”r of Ribnitz, shlit”a, from Yitzchak Shlomo ben Rachel Baila.” Under the dedication, there is – again, in each one of the chumashim, – a signed and stamped confirmation from the Admo”r’s assistant: “I hereby attest that this chumash was used by the Admo”r of Ribnitz, zy”a, when he said shnayim mikra v’echad targum each Friday, and each time he read from the Torah, over an extended period.” Signed and stamped by the Admo”r’s assistant, Ben Tziyon Adler, “משב”ק אל כ”ק אדמו”ר ‘מריבניץ’ שליט”א”.”
It is worth mentioning the supremacy of the segulah of saying shnayim mikra v’echad targum, which constitutes one of the rare segulahs, stated by our Sages [חז”ל] themselves! A segulah for long life! Our Sages said as follows (Berachot 8a): A person should always complete the Torah portions with the community, shnayim mikra v’echad targum, as all who complete their portions with the community, their days and years will be lengthened.” In the present time, when many various (and strange) segulahs are going around to be saved from the plague, before us is a segulah from our Sages themselves for length of days and years, a segulah ruled by the Shulchan Aruch to be halachah, and certified by rabbinical leaders of the generations as a tried-and-true segulah, especially using the same chumash as the the Rebbe, the wonder-worker, read shnayim mikra v’echad targum himself, and influenced our world with this wondrous segulah. Clearly, words cannot overstate the sanctity of the Torah reading; it is an auspicious time, as brought by the Machatzit HaShekel , and the Shulchan Aruch, in the halachahs of Kriyat HaTorah, writes startling words, that, had they not been written, could not be said: The Torah reader symbolizes Moshe Rabbeinu, and the one calling out the aliyahs symbolizes Hash-m himself!
The Admo”r Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz [1898-1996] was known as “The Ribnitzer Rebbe” or “The Rimnitzer Rebbe.” He was a wondrously righteous and holy man. It was said about him that he was “a tzaddik from previous generations.” He was orphaned of his father at the age of two and a half. The wondrous tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Matityahu Friedman, “The Rebbe of Shtefanesht, ” who did not have any children of his own, adopted him and raised him as his own son. He would say to him, “You are my chiddush.”
The Ribnitzer Rebbe was totally dedicated and nothing deterred him from fulfilling mitzvahs. He would devotedly circumcise Jewish children in Communist Russia – even the sons of senior government officials, occasionally without their fathers’ knowledge. During the Russian frost, 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 so 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 leaders among the Jewish people: the Rebbe, the Admor of Skver, ztz”l, and the Admor of Skulen, ztz”l.
The Ribnitzer Rebbe was known as having Divine inspiration and as being a salvation-worker. Thousands flocked to him and were saved by his blessings. He passed away at an advanced age, close to a hundred years old. Masses visit his grave in Monsey, which has become a pilgrimage site, on his yahrtzeit as well as other days of the year.
Set of [5] Rav Peninim chumashim, published by Levine Epstein, Jerusalem, 1972. 23 cm.
Fine condition. Usage marks and stains.
Confirmations from the Admo”r’s assistant included, attesting that the Admo”r used the chumashim over an extended period. Books from the Admo”r of Ribnitz are rare and almost impossible to find.