Long Letter of Responsum from the Atzei Chaim, Rebbe of Sighet – With One Line in His Handwriting, Signed

Long Letter of Responsum from the Atzei Chaim, Rebbe of Sighet – With One Line in His Handwriting, Signed
Long letter (four large pages) from Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, author of Atzei Chaim, Rabbi of Sighet. Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), [1918].
A long halachic responsum sent to R. David Sperber (who served at the time as a posek in Polien Riskeve). Written by a scribe, with one line handwritten by the rebbe and signed: "His friend… with much love, awaiting to hear from him only good, Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum".
Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, author of Atzei Chaim (1880-1926), son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, the Kedushat Yom Tov. In 1904, he succeeded his father as rabbi of Sighet and as rebbe of the Sighet Chassidic court. He was the son-in-law of Rebbe Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. He frequented the courts of the Tzaddikim of his generation, in particular his uncles Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova and R. Baruch of Gorlitz, as well as Rebbe Yehoshua of Belz. He was an outstanding Torah scholar, exceptionally holy and G-d-fearing. Reputedly, he never forgot anything he learned, and he was renowned from his great perspicacity. Shortly following his appointment as rabbi and rebbe of Sighet (capital of the Maramureș county) at the age of 24 (!), he became known as one of the leaders of Hungarian Jewry, who established the national policies of the Orthodox bureau of the country. He had a great impact over almost all Orthodox communities in Hugnary, whether in Chassidic or Ashkenazi circles. His opinion bore weight regarding the appointment of rabbis, dayanim and shochatim, especially in communities with a dominant constituency of Sighet Chassidim (Sighet was the largest and principal Chassidic court in Maramureș). He was the prime teacher of his younger brother Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar.
The recipient of the letter, R. David Sperber (1877-1962), leading Galician and Romanian rabbi. Born in Zablotov to a family of Kosov-Vizhnitz Chassidim, he was a close disciple of R. Meir Arik. He also studied under Rebbe Moshe Hager of Kosov, author of Ezor HaEmunah, and arranged the latter's writings for printing. He frequented the courts of the Chakal Yitzchak, rebbe of Spinka, and the Ahavat Yisrael of Vizhnitz. From 1908, he served as dayan and posek in Polien Riskeve (Poienile de sub Munte), and from 1922, as rabbi of Braşov (Kronstadt). He was renowned for the marriage permits he issued for agunot in the aftermath of the Holocaust. In the winter of 1950, he immigrated to Eretz Israel, where he became known as "the rabbi of Braşov", and served as a leader of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah and Chinuch HaAtzma'i. He authored Afarkasta D'Anya, Michtam LeDavid, Tehillah LeDavid, and other books.
[1] double leaf (four written pages), official stationery of the rebbe. 29 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Tears to folds, not affecting text.
This responsum was printed in Responsa Atzei Chaim (Sighet, 1939), Yoreh De'ah, section 15.