Bidspirit auction | Signature of the Holy Rebbi

Signature of the Holy Rebbi Yissachar Ber HaCohen Tornheim, The 'Avodas Yissachar' of Wolbórz. Unique! - Sefer Kitzer Ma’avar Yabok—dealing with matters of visiting the sick and prayers of the Chevra Kadisha—includes at its end laws and customs in Yiddish according to the traditions of the holy community of Breslau. This edition, printed in Józefów in 1835, is extremely rare and has never before appeared in a public auction. At the top of the title page is the handwritten signature of the holy Rebbi Yissachar Ber HaCohen, author of Avodas Yissachar from Wolbórz ”Yissachar Ber HaCohen B'R'MZ”L Tornh[eim].” This Holy manuscript has been discovered only recently and is the only known handwriting from him in existence today! Already in the first generation after his passing, his writings were considered extremely rare. His son, the Holy Rebbi Yaakov Moshe HaCohen of Wolbórz, wrote in the introduction to the first printed edition of his father’s holy sefer Avodas Yissachar (Łódź, 1912): ”It has been thirty-four years since my esteemed father, the man of God, the saintly and righteous one, known for his piety and holiness—a true angel of the Lord of Hosts—our master and teacher, Rebbi Yissachar Berish HaCohen of Wolbórz of blessed memory, left this world on the second day of the month of Marcheshvan 1877. He left behind many manuscripts, for every day, every week, and every Sabbath, he would publicly deliver Torah teachings, igniting hearts with flames of divine reverence and love upon the foundations of true and holy Chassidus, and his words were recorded in writing. However, due to our many sins, many of these writings were burned or lost, and what remains is only from the last year before God took him to heaven . Some time ago, my brother-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Baruch, handed over these writings to his uncle, our master, the holy and esteemed Rebbi Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchak of Aleksander, who was deeply moved by them. He declared that they were most worthy of publication and required no rabbinical endorsements, and I resolved to publish and disseminate them among the Jewish people.” In 1801, a great light shone in the city of Piotrków when Rebbi Yissachar Dov Berish HaCohen Torneheim was born to his father, the pious and humble Rabbi Moshe HaCohen , and his righteous mother, Rebbetzin Breindel. His parents fervently prayed to be blessed with a righteous and devout son, and indeed, their prayers were answered as they saw their son ascend in Torah and fear of Heaven. His father spared no effort in his education, even at the cost of his own sustenance, ensuring that his son was taught and guided in the sacred path. At the young age of eight, Rebbi Yissachar Ber was orphaned from his father, and the burden of his upbringing fell upon his widowed mother. She fulfilled her sacred duty with utmost dedication, ultimately witnessing the fulfillment of her greatest aspirations. Her devotion is reflected in his own words: ”I do not give any advice or prescribe any segulah unless it is learned from the holy Torah or something I heard from my righteous mother.” She would say, “It is common for women to bathe their children in milk; I bathed my little Berish in the tears of my eyes while pouring out my heart before my Creator, praying that he would be worthy and upright before God.” Following his father’s passing, his mother sent him to study in the city of Kalisz, where he learned from renowned Torah scholars. Even in his youth, it was clear to all that he was destined for greatness. His radiant countenance reflected his deep love and awe of God, and his conduct marked him as an extraordinary individual. When he came of age, the pious Rabbi Avraham Tzvi of Wolbórz took him as a groom for his only daughter, the righteous Rebbetzin Esther Malka. She supported him with great devotion, ensuring that he could dedicate himself to his holy work without distraction. Immediately after their marriage, he obtained his wife’s permission and traveled to study Torah in the city of Żgierz under the guidance of the saintly Rabbi Shalom Tzvi Katz, a distinguished disciple of the holy Rebbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. He remained there for a full year until his teacher instructed him to return home. However, his soul burned with an intense longing to be close to the great tzaddikim of the generation. He soon departed again, this time to study under Rabbi Chaim, the great rabbi of Wolbrom, one of the leading disciples of the Chozeh of Lublin. His master, Rabbi Chaim, lived at that time in Kamieniec, and it was from him that Rebbi Yissachar Ber absorbed the essence of Chassidus. Later, he sought out the holy tzaddik Rebbi Yissachar Ber of Radoshitz, who cherished him dearly. He also longed to meet the legendary Rebbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, about whom he had heard from his first teacher in Żgierz, and he traveled to visit him. On his return journey from Kotzk, he stopped in Warsaw,