Parashiot (parchment scrolls inscribed with biblical passages) and batim (leather boxes) of tefillin – the parashiot were written by R. David of Anipoli, Sofer (scribe) of the Maggid of Mezeritch and his disciples. [Anipoli (Hannopil), 18th century]. The parashiot and batim belonged to Rebbe Yitzchak of Skver, who left them to his descendants.
Pair of tefillin shel rosh and shel yad, following Rashi's opinion – (open) batim, with parashiot in Arizal script. The parashiot were written by R. David of Anipoli – Sofer of great Chassidic leaders, who also wrote the tefillin of his teacher the Maggid of Mezeritch, those of the holy brothers R. Elimelech of Lizhensk and R. Zusha of Anipoli (who related in the name of R. David, that the reason he charges such a high price for his parashiot, is because "I am always scrupulous to write the parashiot with intense, uninterrupted concentration"), as well as tefillin and a mezuzah for R. Pinchas of Korets and his sons (which were cherished by R. Pinchas of Korets, "who held his tefillin in high regard"), a Torah scroll for R. Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl author of Meor Einayim, and holy articles for other Chassidic leaders (for further details, see below).
The handwriting of the parashiot was identified as that of R. David of Anipoli by R. David Leib Greenfield of the United States, founder and president of Vaad Mishmereth STaM HaOlami, expert on the Stam script writings of Sofrim revered by the early Chassidic leaders, and author of several important and basic books on the laws of scribal writing (enclosed are reports from Rabbi Greenfield, attesting to the identity of the Sofer and the validity of the tefillin).
According to the testimony of R. Aharon Twersky of Jerusalem, this set of tefillin - the batim and parashiot, were handed down from one generation to another in the Twersky family, as an inheritance from their ancestor, first Rebbe of the Skver dynasty, R. Yitzchak Twersky, son of Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl. According to the family tradition, relayed to him by his father R. Shlomo, Rebbe Yitzchak left these tefillin to his son Rebbe David, who left them to his son R. Aharon, and then to R. Shlomo (enclosed is a testimony of R. Aharon Twersky regarding this tradition). The rebbes of the Skver dynasty would don tefillin prepared by illustrious Tzaddikim, and holy articles attributed to the Sofrim of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples are preserved in the Skver court (see below).
The Sofer R. David son of R. Moshe Yitzchak HaLevi of Anipoli and Chechelnik (18th century – Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, I, p. 477) was a close disciple of R. Dov Ber – the great Maggid of Mezeritch (some even say that R. David was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. His name is mentioned in Shivchei HaBaal Shem Tov, Rubinstein edition, p. 198). He was known as the Sofer of the leading Tzaddikim of the first generation of Chassidut. Reputedly, R. David learned the art of scribal writing following the entreaties of his teacher, the Maggid, who repeatedly asked him to study this skill. R. David replied that he is willing to study it on condition that his teacher hands over to him the "kavanot of the holy names". The Maggid hence asked his senior disciple, R. Shlomo Lutsker, author of Dibrat Shlomo, to teach R. David the kavanot. According to Chassidic lore, R. Shlomo Lutsker went with him "out to the field, and taught him", and from when he began writing, "his work was cherished by Tzaddikim, disciples of the Maggid" (Kehal Chassidim HaChadash, Lemberg 1902, p. 11). R. David wrote parashiot of tefillin and mezuzot for foremost Chassidic leaders: his teacher the Maggid of Mezeritch, R. Pinchas of Korets and his sons, the holy brothers R. Elimelech of Lizhensk and R. Zusha of Anipoli, and Rebbe Moshe of Savran. It is reported that R. Pinchas of Korets "held his Tefillin in high regard" (Imrei Pinchas HaShalem, I, p. 215). R. Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl (grandfather of Rebbe Yitzchak of Skver) paid R. David to sit in his home in Chernobyl for an entire year and write a Torah scroll on his behalf. In Erchei Yehoshua (p. 232) it is brought: "Our teacher (Rebbe Yehoshua of Monastyrshchina) was meticulous to seek parashiot of tefillin written by foremost Tzaddikim, disciples of the Baal Shem Tov, and especially those written by R. David of Anipoli who was the Sofer of our grandfather R. Pinchas of Korets". Reputedly, R. Pinchas of Korets was not initially aware of R. David's preeminence, until he dreamt about him, and thereby realized the extent of R. David's holiness. It is also retold that R. David informed the brothers R. Elimelech and R. Zusha, that the reason he demands such a high price for the parashiot he writes is because "I am always scrupulous to write the parashiot with intense, uninterrupted concentration", and whenever a foreign thought disrupted his focus whilst writing, he would refrain from selling those parashiot, which generated double work (Maamar Mordechai, Slonim, Maarechet R. David MeAnipoli, I).
It is related regarding R. David's exceptional holiness, that he once explained his practice of breaking ice and immersing in the freezing water, as follows: "…I feel that my heart and soul burn within me like a furnace, I am but one great fire of holiness, and I fear lest I be consumed from the intensity of the heavenly holiness, therefore I immerse in freezing water, to cool down somewhat my lofty fervor…" (Maamar Mordechai, Slonim, p. 30). R. David was buried in Anipoli near his teacher the Maggid of Mezeritch, alongside R. Zusha of Anipoli and R. Yehuda Leib author of Or HaGanuz.
Rebbe Yitzchak Twersky of Skver (1812-1885), son of the maggid R. Mordechai of Chernobyl, and progenitor of the Skver dynasty. After his father's passing in 1837, he cleaved to his older brother, Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl, and became his close disciple. In 1848, following the demise of his father-in-law R. Naftali Tzvi Rabbi of Skver (Skvyra), he began guiding his followers, and became one of the prominent and renowned leaders of Ukrainian Jewry, and a rebbe to thousands of Chassidim. R. Yitzchak was the seventh son of the eight illustrious sons of R. Mordechai of Chernobyl. The latter stated: "I and my sons descended to this world to repair the souls of the dead and of the living" (R. Yeshaya Wolf Tzikernik – disciple of R. Yitzchak of Skver, Sipurim Nifla'im UMaamarim Yekarim, Lviv 1908, p. 6). Rebbe Aharon of Belz would speak of the brothers' exceptional holiness in effusive terms, and stated in the name of his father Rebbe Yissachar Dov: "We cannot conceive the magnitude of their stature", and once, when R. Aharon of Belz mentioned them, his hands shook, and he exclaimed: "They were truly angels… entirely angels…". He attested regarding Rebbe Yitzchak: "He stood in the breach against the recently emerging innovations" (Beito Naava Kodesh, Nissan, pp. 123-124). When R. Yitzchak was born, his father testified that the soul of R. Yishmael Kohen Gadol rested within him. The Rebbe of Skver was reputed in his times for his wisdom, brilliance and exalted character traits, even amongst maskilim and ministers of the Russian government.
Rebbe Yitzchak Twersky was a leading and faithful transmitter of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid of Mezeritch and their disciples, and he is the source of numerous traditions, oral teachings and practices regarding them, many of which were printed in the series of his disciple, R. Yeshaya Wolf Tzikernik. Rebbe Yitzchak reached this position through his illustrious lineage from all sides: his paternal grandfather was the Meor Einayim – a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid, his maternal grandfather was R. David Leikes – disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Furthermore, in his second marriage, he was the son-in-law of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, and in his third marriage, of R. Naftali Tzvi Rabbi of Skver – great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, and son of R. Aharon of Titayov.
Rebbe Yitzchak of Skver particularly cherished the holy articles of great Tzaddikim, especially Torah scrolls and tefillin written by the Sofrim of leading Tzaddikim of the first generation of Chassidut, such as R. Efraim of Brody, R. Tzvi Sofer and R. David of Anipoli (who scribed these parashiot), and he would purchase them for huge sums of money. In his Beit Midrash, there was a Torah scroll of the Baal Shem Tov, written by R. Tzvi, the Sofer of the Baal Shem Tov, and he once stated: "It is worth travelling eighty leagues for the merit of having an aliya before this holy Torah scroll". He also possessed the Tikun Sofrim of the Baal Shem Tov, on which R. Tzvi Sofer based that Torah scroll. This Tikun Sofrim cost the Rebbe of Skver a dowry of one thousand rubles. Likewise, he owned the Sefer HaTzoref handwritten by the kabbalist R. Eliyahu Tzoref, which previously belonged to the Baal Shem Tov. It is also recorded that "The Rebbe of Skver inherited the Tefillin of the Baal Shem Tov. He once gave them in to be inspected, and the Sofer informed him that they were invalid, and not repairable. The Rebbe of Skver then took the tefillin back and restored them himself…" (R. Avraham Yitzchak Bromberg, MiGedolei HaTorah VehaChassidut, Jerusalem 1956, IX, p. 21). Throughout the generations, rebbes of Skver and their sons were accustomed to only donning Tefillin prepared by illustrious Tzaddikim, and until this day, the courts of the various branches of Skver hold tefillin, Torah scrolls and dozens of holy articles attributed to the Sofrim who were held in high regard by the early Chassidic leaders.
Height of parchment scrolls – parashiot of arm-tefilla: 44 mm; parashiot of head-tefilla: 40 mm. Original tefillin batim (open): 47X47 mm. Size of base: 87X66 mm. Height of batim (excluding base): 46 mm. Good-fair condition. The ink of the parashiot is dark brown (though according to the enclosed report, they are fit to be donned with a blessing – see below). Without straps. The edges of the batim were repainted. New plastic protective cases (not covering the base of the batim). Placed in a new velvet pouch.
Enclosed with the tefillin is a special report from R. Greenfield, certifying that despite their age, they are still kosher and suitable to be donned with a blessing (for further halachic study, see references in Hebrew description).