Rav Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum zt"l
הרב חנניה יום טוב ליפא בן יקותיאל יהודה טייטלבוים זצ"ל
Shevat 29 , 5664
Rav Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum zt"l
(1836-1904 / 5596- 5664)
Rav Chanina YomTov Lipa Teitelbaum was born on Shavous, the 6th of Sivan around 5596/1836 to the Yetev Lev, Rav Yekusiel Yehudah, Rav of Sighet (Máramarossziget).
He was recognized as a child prodigy and a gadol in Torah scholarship. In chassidus, he was a disciple of Rav Chaim Halberstam of Sanz.
He was the son-in-law of Rav Menashe Horowitz of Ropshitz. His second marriage was to the daughter of his uncle, Rav Yoel Ashkenazi of Zlatshuv which was based on a heter meah rabbonim. His first marriage ended in machlokes when his wife refused to accept a get even though they had no children. In the end he had no choice and remarried using the heter.
He served as rav in Tetsh from 5624/1864 and afterwards he succeeded his father as rav and chassidic rebbe of Sighet in 5643/1883. He greatly expanded the Sigheter court, and his followers and chassidim numbered in the thousands.
His sons were: Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, author of Atzei Chaim and who succeeded him in Sighet, and Rav Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, in Williamsburg, New York.
His daughter Esther married Rav Chanoch Henich of Sassov; his daughter Hesia married Rav Nissan Teitelbaum (her second husband was Rav Chaim Meir Yechiel Horowitz); and his daughter Sarah was the second wife of Rav Dovid Shapira.
His sefer was named Kedushas YomTov and includes volumes on the Torah and Moadim.
He passed away 29 Shevat 5664/1904.
Stories of Rav Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum zt"l
During one of his visits to the Kedushas Yom Tov, Rav Menachem Mendel asked him to give him a bracha. The Kedushas Yom Tov answered him, “Shouldn’t it be the other way around? You are older than I, and the word zaken stands for Zeh Kana Chochma (“you have acquired more wisdom”). You are also a talmid of the Chasam Sofer. Therefore, it would surely be more proper for me to receive your blessing!” Rav Menachem Mendel disagreed: “But you are descended from the holy Yismach Moshe of Uhjel, whom I once merited to meet face-to-face, and I heard drashos from his holy mouth that blazed like a flaming fire – so it would be more proper for you to bless me!” In the end, each tzaddik spread his hands over the head of the other, and in this manner they blessed each other! (Gedulas Mordechai)
As heard directly from the Kedushas Yom Tov’s son - Rabbeinu Yoel zt”l.
When Rav Yoel was a child, he once observed his father enter his room while he was sleeping and prepare some pieces of cake by the window. The Kedushas Yom Tov was a known gentleman and would always remove his shoes while entering a place where someone was sleeping in order to avoid waking them. However, this did not deter Rav Yoel - since he needed little sleep and was always keen on observing his father. This action got the best of his curiosity and he waited to see what would happen.
The next day, the (Nir)Bater Rav came to the Kedushas Yom Tov and announced that he would like to stay for Shabbos. The Kedushas Yom Tov replied that although he appreciated his company, however he would like for him to return to (Nir)Bater immediately. The Kedushas Yom Tov informed him that the wife of the Rosh HaKuel (President) of the (Nir)Bater’s shul was sick. Then the Kedushas Yom Tov took the prepared pieces of cake and gave it to the (Nir)Bater Rav and told him to give it to the sick wife with the instructions of the Kedushas Yom Tov as follows:
“It says: 'ועבדתם את ה' אלקיכם וברך את לחמך ואת מימיך והסרתי מחלה מקרבך' (You shall worship Hashem, your God, and He shall bless your bread and your water, and I will remove illness from your midst, [Parshas Mishpatim 23:25]) – consequently eating shirayim, (the Rebbe/Tzaddik’s leftover food) is mesugal (good omen) for health.”
Being that the Rebbe was his uncle, the (Nir)Bater Rav had no choice but to follow directions. He went home and asked the Rosh HaKuel to come see him and repeated what the Kedushas Yom Tov told him. The Rosh HaKuel was shocked because his wife just became sick that day and he was in awe of the Kedushas Yom Tov’s Ruach HaKodesh (holy spirit / seer).
Years later, when Rav Yoel repeated the story – he would add that there are many fascinating features with this story: How did his father know the Rosh HaKuel’s wife was sick? How did he know that the (Nir)Bater Rov was coming to visit him and would be able to take back the shirayim?
However, most intriguingly to Rav Yoel was the fact that the Kedushas Yom Tov said that [his] shirayim would heal the sick.
Credit: Reb Shloma Yankel Gelbman, z”l


