Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum of Sighet zt"l
הרב יקותיאל יהודה בן אלעזר ניסן טייטלבוים זצ"ל
Elul 6 , 5643
Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum of Sighet zt"l
(1808-1883 / 5568-5643)
His father was Rav Elazar Nissan Teitelbaum, Rav of Drohbitsch [Drubitsh], and his grandfather was the Yismach Moshe.
The young Yekusiel Yehuda was raised primarily by his grandfather and was his closest and most outstanding student.
By age seven, he had already composed chiddushei Torah that he recited before his zeide, the Yismach Moshe (See his sefer Yetev Lev parshas Vayechi s.v. “Reo panecha lo filalti”). When the Yetev Lev reached the age of fifteen, the Yismach Moshe had already written about him that he was a gadol in both the hidden and revealed aspects of the Torah.
The Yetev Lev also visited other great rabbonim such as Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Rymanov and Rav Yitzchok Aizekel of Zidichov. He was one of the first Hungarian rebbes that also founded a yeshivah, and among his disciples we find such illustrious names as Rav Yehonasan Binyamin Kohen Klein of Selish, author of Nefesh Yehonasan and Rav Elimelech of Tosh.
At the age of 25, shortly after marrying Ruchel, the daughter of Rav Moshe Dovid Ashkenazi AvBeisDin of Toltshuva, in 5593/1833 the Yetev Lev was invited to serve as Rav in Stropkov. Toward the end of 5601/1841 he succeeded his grandfather, the Yismach Moshe, as Rav in Ihel (Ujhely). After that, with the recommendation of his mechutan, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, he was appointed and served as Rav of Gorlitz. In 5617/1857, after the petira of his father on 9th of Tishrei, the residents of Drohbitsch [Drubitsh] appointed him as rav, filling his father’s position. In 5618/1858, he was invited to serve as rav of Sighet. He arrived on 18th of Tammuz and led this kehillah capably until his last day.
He founded a yeshiva in Sighet, and many talmidim became his devoted Chassidim. The Sigheter Rav was extremely warm to his talmidim and cared for both their spiritual and physical needs.
Rav Yekusiel Yehuda was a genius in both the revealed and hidden Torah and was one of the foremost chassidic leaders of his generation.
Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Rudnik often said that one who did not know his grandfather, the Yetev Lev, had never seen a truly humble person. The Yetev Lev regarded everyone as superior to him. “When my grandfather would enter the beis hamedrash and pass a simple person putting on tefillin, he would stand and listen to the man’s berachah and respond with a fervent “Amen.” Then he would look at him admiringly, tears flowing from his eyes, and murmur, ‘See how a Jew who fears Hashem recites a berachah and puts on tefillin!’”
The Yetev Lev’s son-in-law, the Rav of Gorlitz (son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz), said, “My father-in-law is a tzubrochene Yid (a Jew with a broken heart).”
The Yetev Lev never spoke ill of any Jew. Every night, he would learn with his grandchildren from midnight to 1:00 a.m., and then from 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. In the middle of the shiur, he would shut his eyes for a while. Everyone thought that he had fallen asleep, but actually, although immersed in thought, taking in all that had been said.
Once, when his eyes were shut, the grandchildren began to speak about a very corrupt person. This man had sorely distressed the residents of the town and had even disparaged the Yetev Lev in public. The rav of Lafush, who was present, tried to defend the man, saying that the rumors of his negative deeds were untrue. He supported his opinion with the fact that the Yetev Lev himself thought highly of this man. The Yetev Lev had not participated in the conversation, however, when he heard that remark, a smile crossed his face, indicating that though his eyes were closed during the shiur, he wasn’t really sleeping.
He wrote Yetev Lev on Torah, Yetev Ponim on Mo’adim, Rav Tuv on Torah, and She’eilos U’Teshuvos Avnei Tzedek on all four chalokim of the Shulchon Aruch.
He was niftar on the sixth of Elul 5643/1883 in Sighet and is buried there.
His sons were: Rav Channania YomTov Lipa, author of Kedushas YomTov, who succeeded him in Sighet; Rav Avrohom Aharon of Kolbasov; Rav Moshe Yosef of Uhjel; and Rav Eliyahu Betzalel AvBeisDin Tetsh. He also had three daughters. His sons-in-law were: Rav Yisroel Yaakov of Volove; Rav Moshe of Rozhvadov; and Rav Baruch Halberstam of Gorlitz, son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz.