Auction 050 Part 1 Satmar: Rebbes and Rabbis of Satmar-Sighet, Hungary and Transylvania
Milchemet Mitzvah – On the Schism in the Sighet Community at the Time of the Yitav Lev and Kedushat Yom Tov – Sighet, 1888 – With Unprinted Additions in Manuscript – Copy of R. Tzvi Hirsch Guttmann, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor
Opening: $100
Sold for: $188
Including buyer's premium
Michtav Galui with Milchemet Mitzvah, on the controversy “that the Orthodox community fought against those who came to destroy” and responses against the booklet Ohev Mishpat. Sighet: Menachem Mendel Wieder, 1888.
The book also includes the booklets published during the course of the polemic: Ein Mishpat by R. Shlomo Yehudah Leib Tabak, author of Erech Shai; Yashuv Mishpat by Rebbe Moshe Halberstam, Av Beit Din of Bardejov, R. Yeshayah HaKohen Rubin, Av Beit Din of Valea lui Mihai and R. Pinchas Weinberger, Av Beit Din of Negrești-Oaș; and Emek HaMishpat, by R. Yitzchak Eizik Friedman, Av Beit Din of Nyíregyháza.
Copy of R. Tzvi Hirsch Guttmann, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor [died 1908; see: Shem HaGedolim MeEretz Hagar, Tzadi, 22:1] – his signatures are on the top of the title page and on the endpaper:
“Tzvi Hirsch Guttmann”;
“Tzvi son of R. …, Av Beit Din of [Nyír]bátor”. On the endpaper is a handwritten ownership inscription by his son, R. Eliyahu Natan Guttmann:
“This book belongs to my father R. Tzvi Hirsch Guttmann, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor. I, R. Eliyahu Natan, write in the year [1895]” (R. Eliyahu Natan’s signature and stamp appear on the endpaper in Latin characters).
On the front endpaper is copied an additional letter of approbation to the Sighet community, which was left out when printing the book and was copied into the present copy:
“After the printing of this holy book was completed, I received an open letter from… R. Eliyahu Natan Guttmann, son of his father… Rabbi in [Nyír]bátor, and this is the addendum word for word” (apparently the letter was written by R. Eliyahu Natan Guttmann himself).
The present copy belonged to R. Tzvi Hirsch Rosenberg, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor – his stamps on the title page and additional leaves:
“Tzvi Rosenberg, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor and the region” [R. Tzvi Hirsch Rosenberg, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor. Began to serve in 1875 in the position of his father R. Mordechai Rosenberg, Av Beit Din of Nyírbátor and Tarcal (disciple of R. Avraham Shag). Near the end of his life he served in the Budapest rabbinate. Brother of R. Shaul Rosenberg, Av Beit Din of Ratzfert (Újfehértó).
[2], 2-42, 45-61, [24], 86-89, [32], 122-130, [5], 136-157, [2] leaves (some leaves are unpaginated, including the three booklets Ein Mishpat, Yashuv Mishpat and Emek Mishpat, which were distributed separately before the printing of the entire book was completed). Two leaves are missing (leaves 43-44). Approx. 25 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Creases and minor damage. Tears reinforced with tape on the title page and 4 subsequent pages. Stamps. New binding.
The Schism in the Sighet Community
In 1883-1890, a controversy broke out in Sighet between the members of the community who joined the Central Bureau of the Autonomous Orthodox Jewish Communities, and a group of community members who refused to be subordinate to the bureau, who established the Independent Sephardic Community and were registered as a status quo community. The Orthodox community was headed by the Yitav Lev and the Kedushat Yom Tov of Sighet, while the seceding camp was led by the local aristocracy, headed by the Kahana family, and some Vizhnitz Chassidim.
As time went on, the schism in the Sighet community became a controversy that divided many other Hungarian communities. Most Hungarian rabbis, as well as many rabbis from Galicia and Poland, took part in it. Both parties published various polemical writings, approbations and rulings, booklets and pamphlets, fliers and posters, supporting their respective arguments.
The history of the controversy, the claims and arguments, and approbations and responsa of various rabbis were incorporated primarily into two books – the seceding “Sephardic” community published its stance in the book Ohev Mishpat (see previous item), and in response, the Orthodox community published its stance in the present book, Milchemet Mitzvah.
The present book quotes approbations, responsa and letters of assent from Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova; Rebbe Yehoshua Rokeach of Belz; Rebbe Shlomo Shapira, the Shem Shlomo of Munkacs; R. Shlomo Leib Tabak, author of Erech Shai; R. Chaim Tzvi Manheimer, Av Beit Din of Ungvar; R. Yoel Tzvi Roth, Av Beit Din of Khust, author of Beit HaYotzer; and additional Rebbes and other rabbis.
As the years went on the controversy subsided, and the Sephardic community rejoined the main community headed by the Kedushat Yom Tov of Sighet.
Polemical Booklets – Maramureș, Munkacs and Hungarian Communities
Polemical Booklets – Maramureș, Munkacs and Hungarian Communities