Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts

Responsa Mahari HaLevi – Copy of Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik Weiss of Svaliava and His Son-in-Law Rebbe Elimelech Lowy of Tosh – Neuwied, 1736

Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $3,750
Including buyer's premium

Responsa of Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi, brother and teacher of the Taz, Part I. Neuwied: Johann Balthasar Haupt, 1736.


Copy of the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Eizik Weiss of Svaliava, uncle and close teacher of his nephew R. Yosef Meir Weiss, first Rebbe of Spinka, author of Imrei Yosef. At the top of the title page is his signature: "Yitzchak Eizik Weiss", as well as an ownership stamp from his tenure as head of the Beit Din of Svaliava and of Munkacs: "Yitzchak Eizik Weiss – Izsak Weisz – Rabbiner Szolyva", "Yitzchak Eizik Weiss, head of the Munkacs Beit Din".
On p. 16b appear two glosses, apparently handwritten by R. Yitzchak Eizik Weiss.
On the title page also appear stamps of his son-in-law, Rebbe Elimelech Lowy son of R. Meshulam Feish of Tosh, grandfather of the current Rebbe of Tosh in Canada.


R. Yitzchak Eizik Weiss (1824-1894), rabbi of Svaliava and later head of the Munkacs Beit Din, author of Beit Yitzchak. He was the prime teacher of his nephew, R. Yosef Meir Weiss, first Rebbe of Spinka, author of Imrei Yosef. He was born in Munkacs to R. Avraham Weiss (who was like a son to R. Yitzchak Eizik of Kaliv). R. Yitzchak Eizik Weiss was a progenitor of Chassidut in Transylvania in the mid-19th century, and the disciple of foremost rebbes: Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, author of Bnei Yissachar; Rebbe Yehudah Tzvi of Rozdil, author of Daat Kedoshim (the book was compiled by R. Yitzchak Eizik Weiss); Rebbe Shalom of Belz; and Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik of Zidichov (who acclaimed him as one of the "sixty mighty men surrounding him", and relied upon him to edit his writings in Chassidut and Kabbalah). He also frequented the courts of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, Rebbe Chaim of Kosov, Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Rimanov and Rebbe Meir of Premishlan. His son-in-law was Rebbe Elimelech Lowy, son of the first rebbe of Tosh R. Meshulam Feish Lowy. R. Shimon Grünfeld (Maharshag), Rabbi of Szemihály, described R. Yitzchak Eizik: "I knew that he was a great kabbalist, almost unique in the country in this science" (Responsa Maharshag, Part I, Orach Chaim section 30). From his large collection of writings, only the following were published: Toldot Yitzchak on the Torah, Divrei Yitzchak, and Beit Yitzchak on Tractate Megillah.


[1], 33 leaves. 31.5 cm. Browning of paper to some leaves. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming to margins of title page and several other leaves. Small marginal tears to several leaves, including a minute tear to one leaf, slightly affecting text. Original binding, worn and damaged.

Books Owned by Important Rebbes – Signatures and Ownership Inscriptions, Stamps and Glosses
Books Owned by Important Rebbes – Signatures and Ownership Inscriptions, Stamps and Glosses