Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum Sigheter Rebbe Atzei Chaim

Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, author of Atzei Chaim (1880-1926), son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, the Kedushas 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 Hungary, whether in Chassidic or Ashkenazi circles. His opinion bore weight regarding the appointment of rabbis, dayanim and shochtim, 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.