Kitzur Shenei Luchot HaBrit with Mahadura Batra. Polonne, [1816?].
Copy of Rebbe Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert (Újfehértó). Ownership inscriptions, stamps and signatures of the rebbe on the endpapers, title page and final leaf: "Shalom Eliezer", "Shalom Eliezer Halberstam", "Shalom Eliezer Halberstam, residing in Tarnów", "This book belongs to R. Shalom Eliezer Halberstam".
Rebbe Shalom Eliezer Halberstam (1862-1944) was one of the younger sons of the Divrei Chaim Rebbe of Sanz, a leading righteous man and wonder-worker in the pre-Holocaust generation. Already as a youngster, prominent rebbes spoke of his holiness and lofty soul. For instance, during his stay in Sanz, the Tiferet Shlomo Rebbe of Radomsk reputedly pointed at R. Shalom Eliezer and said that at the coming of the Messiah he will be among the Jewish leaders. At the time of his father's death, he was only 14 years old, and was raised by his elder brother, the rebbe of Shinova. He married his niece, daughter of his sister and brother-in-law Rebbe Mordechai Dov Twersky, rabbi of Hornostaipil. In 1886, R. Shalom Eliezer settled in the city of Tarnów (Galicia), and cloistered himself in the kloiz of the Sanz Chassidim, studying Torah day and night. In 1899, he established his court in Ratzfert (Újfehértó, Hungary), remaining there for over 40 years. His reputation as a wonder-worker drew Jews from all over Hungary to his court in Ratzfert, and they experienced salvations through his blessings (see Rabbenu HaKadosh MiRatzfert, Bnei Brak 2007, for numerous testimonies and accounts of miracles and salvations he effected). During the Holocaust he refused to abandon his community, and perished with them in Auschwitz in Sivan 1944.
On the endpaper facing the title page - signature of R. Efraim Fishel Hershkowitz (1922-2017), rabbi of Hallein and leading posek in the United States. He served as head of the Sanz-Klausenberg Beit Din in the U.S.
96 leaves (final leaf misfoliated 98). 21 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, dampness damage and wear. Tears to several leaves. Tear from printing process to leaf 20, affecting text. Leaves 79-80 printed over four leaves, with only one printed side, verso remaining blank (no lacking text). Binding damaged.