Sefer Toldot Avraham contains novellae on various tractates of the Talmud, authored by Rabbi Avraham Eisenberg, Av Beit Din of Ulaniv (author of She’elot U’Teshuvot Zera Yitzchak, a close disciple of Rebbi Naftali of Ropshitz, and son of Rabbi Yitzchak Charif of Sambor).
Przemyśl, 1882 – Only Edition.
On the title page and the last page, there are stamps of the holy Rebbi David Halberstam, Av Beit Din of Kshanov.
On the title page Signature & stamps of his grandson Rabbi Berekhyah Teitelbaum (1865–1917), Av Beit Din of Ujhel. son of Rabbi Moshe Yosef Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Ujhel.
The Holy Rebbi David Halberstam of Kshanov (Chrzanów) was born to his father, the holy Rebbi Chaim of Sanz, known as the Divrei Chaim, in 1821 (or 1818), when his father resided in Rudnik. He was the second son from his father’s first marriage. He was considered a great genius and a holy man, a towering scholar in both Torah and divine service. He was a disciple of his father as well as of the holy Rebbi Tzvi Hirsch of Rimanov and Rebbi Yissachar Ber of Radoszyce.
In his first marriage, he wed Rebbetzin Aksha Gitel, the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Ze’ev of Tarnogród. Above his father-in-law’s seat was a golden plaque recording his lineage, as he was a sixth-generation descendant of Aksha, the daughter of the Arizal, who had come from Eretz Yisrael to Poland. After the birth of two sons, his first wife passed away. He later married Rebbetzin Leah Zisel of the Tzintz family, the granddaughter of the author of Yad HaKetana.
He studied with immense diligence, to the extent that people would say he studied 25 hours a day! He had a unique practice: if he woke up from sleep, even if he had slept only half an hour after lying down, he would not return to sleep that night. Instead, he would rise with enthusiasm for the service of the Creator and Torah study. In his old age, he instructed that when he needed to attend a wedding—even that of his own descendants—he should be called only when everything was ready so that he would not have to wait and waste time. On one occasion, when he was summoned a little early to a grandson’s wedding and had to wait, he sighed and said: "How great is the pain of raising children, that it has caused me to be idle from Torah study."
He lived with the utmost simplicity and detachment from worldly pleasures, to the point that he did not even chew his food. At the end of the sefer Divrei Chana, his grandson, the holy Rebbi of Kalushitz, records that after the passing of his father, the Divrei Chaim, the Rebbi of Kashow said: "The greatest among the brothers is my brother from Stropkov (Shinova), but thank God, our father left me with a white beard." His intention was that since he was already 58 years old at the time, he was not obligated to travel to his brother.
From 1851, he served as the rabbi of Kshanov, and from 1876, he began to serve as a Chassidic rebbe. He passed away on the 25th of Elul, 1894.
His Descendants:
From his first marriage:
1) His son, Rebbi Yosef Ze’ev, dayan of Kshanov
2) His son, Rebbi Aryeh Leibush, rabbi of Dukla.
From his second marriage:
3) His son, Rabbi Moshe of Kshanov
4) His son, Rabbi Naftali of Kshanov
5) His daughter Breindel, wife of Rabbi Elazar of Rzeszów. However, they had no children and later divorced.
6) His daughter Miriam, wife of Rabbi Yechiel Horowitz of Pokshovnitz.
7) His daughter Hinda, wife of Rabbi Moshe Yosef Teitelbaum, rabbi of Uhel.
8) His daughter Nechama, wife of Rabbi Shalom Shapira of Przysucha.
9) His daughter Sarah Gitel, wife of Rabbi Shimon Alter Frenkel-Teomim, rabbi of Podgórze.
This sefer is uniquely adorned with approbations from the greatest Chassidic Rebbes and Torah scholars, including:
Rebbi Naftali of Ropshitz, Rebbi Moshe Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Ujhel, author of Yismach Moshe, His son-in-law, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Lipschitz, Av Beit Din of Sieniawa, Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margaliot, Rabbi Yosef Shaul Natanzon, Rabbi Yosef Babad, author of Minchat Chinuch, Rebbi Yaakov Zvi Yalish, Av Beit Din of Dinov, Rebbi Chaim Halberstam, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, Rebbi Yitzchak Isaac of Ziditchov, Rebbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yechiel of Komarno, Rebbi Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, author of Yitav Lev, Rebbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Sieniawa, Rebbi Menachem Mendel of Kosów, Rebbi Yaakov Shimshon of Kosów, Rebbi Shlomo Shapira, Av Beit Din of Munkács And many more.
Significant Chassidic Endorsements: In the approbation of the holy Kabbalist Rebbi Zvi Hirsch of Ziditchov, known as the "Master of the House of the Zohar, " he urges: "To our devoted followers who wish to be part of our fellowship, let them acquire this sefer, and from me, you shall see and do likewise…"
In the approbation of Rebbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yechiel of Komarno, author of Heichal HaBracha, he recounts his acquaintance with the author and his esteemed father: "When I was a young child of ten years, I accompanied my holy father to a brit milah, and present there was the sharp and brilliant Rabbi Yitzchak, Av Beit Din of Sambor. I saw his countenance shining with the divine presence, pure and radiant like an angel of God. Their Torah study was infused with sharpness, genius, and intense spiritual devotion, refining the material world through great holiness. The author, the holy Gaon Rabbi Avraham, was attested to by the great sages and tzaddikim of previous generations—my holy teacher, Rebbi Naftali of Ropshitz, and my uncle, the holy Rebbi Zvi Hirsch of Ziditchov, as well as the righteous and scholarly leaders of his time. Even in our generation, tzaddikim and scholars have testified that he was a genius, a righteous man, and a master of divine unification…"
In the approbation of the great Rabbi Yosef Babad, author of Minchat Chinuch, he writes: "The name of the great author has already been established in his generation, as he has received endorsements from the towering scholars of the land, the sages and tzaddikim of his era, who recognized his brilliance and holiness. In my humble opinion, anyone whose heart is touched by the fear of Heaven and cherishes Torah study for its own sake should bring this sacred book into his home…"
At the end of the volume, 14 pages contain a list of hundreds of subscribers, including rabbis and Rebbes from communities across Hungary, Ukraine, and Poland, such as:
The Tzvi LaTzaddik, Mahari”d of Belz, Rebbi Zvi Hirsch of Ziditchov, Rebbi Yitzchak Isaac of Komarno and his son, Rebbi Eliezer Zvi, Rabbi Hillel Lichtenstein of Kolomyia, Rebbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Sieniawa, author of Divrei Yechezkel, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried, author of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, The Kedushat Yom Tov of Sighet, Rabbi Chaim Sofer of Munkács, Rabbi Moshe Schick (Maharam Schick, And many others.
Signature & stamps of his grandson Rebbi Menachem Binyamin Ben Zion Rottenberg- Halberstam, known as the Sanzer Rebbe of New York.
Rebbi Menachem Binyamin Ben Zion Rottenberg Halberstam (1881–1957), the Sanzer Rebbe of New York, was a descendant of the illustrious Sanz and Kshanov dynasties. His lineage included:
Rebbi Aharon of Biala-Bilitz
Rebbi Yosef Zev of Kshanov, son of Rebbi David of Kshanov
Rebbi David of Kshanov, son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz.
On his maternal side, he descended from Rebbi Alter Chaim of Walbrum, adopting the surname "Rottenberg" from this branch. A scion of several prominent Chassidic dynasties, his genealogy intertwined with the great tzaddikim of Ropshitz, Sanz, Or Lashamayim, Belz, and Apta.
Rebbi Rottenberg established his court in New York after emigrating to the United States. Revered as a spiritual leader, he presided over his beit midrash and served as the president of the Union of Rebbes (Agudas HaAdmorim).
[6], 164, [1], [6] Leaves. 31 cm. Lacking [2] leaves at the beginning.
Overall Good Condition, brittle pages, very few stains, marginal tape repairs to title page, marginal tears, later blue cloth binding.
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Lot #89