Bidspirit auction | RABINOWITZ, YITZCHOK YA’AKOV (The First

RABINOWITZ, YITZCHOK YA’AKOV (The First Biala Rebbe, 1847-1905). Letter Signed, New Year blessings, written in Hebrew. Offering good wishes, with blessings for ”children, life and sustenance, perfect health… a good and sweet year, a life of satisfaction, joyous heart, and peace of mind for Torah study and worship of Gd.” Autograph signature: ”Yitzchak Ya’akov son of R. Nahtan Dovid.” One page. Marginal punch holes. 4to. Biala (Biała Podlaska, Poland), 1886     The first Admor of Biala - R. Yitzchak Ya’akov Rabinowitz - was the son of R. Nathan David of Shidlovtsa, who was the grandson of the Yid HaKadosh, R. Yitzchak Ya’akov of Peshischa.     As a young child, R. Yitzchak Ya’akov stood out for his exceptional intellectual capacities and exalted soul. In 1873, he succeeded his father-in-law R. Yehoshua of Ostrova-Lentsha as Rebbe, with a following of many thousands of Chassidim. His teachings were published in the Divrei Binah and Yishrei Lev series.     All his sons and grandsons became significant rebbes in Poland who drew large numbers of followers. They include: His son Grand Rebbe Yerachmiel Tzvi of Siedlce (predecessor of the current Biala Rebbes’ dynasty), his son R. Nathan David of Parczew (father of the Mukacheve-Petach Tikva Rebbe), his son R. Meir Shlomo Yehuda of Mezritch, his son R. Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Lublin and his son-in-law R. Yosef Tvi Kalish of Skierniewic - Bnei Brak.     The Biala dynasty stems from the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa, who was a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin, who in turn was a disciple of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, who was a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, who was among the first generation of extraordinary disciples of the Holy Ba’al Shem Tov.