On Shabbos and Yom Tov the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz davened from the Shela HaKodosh siddur that he inherited from the Tzemach Tzaddik. He used to say about this siddur, “I remember holding this siddur in front of my Zeide during Nishmas! Holy Jews held this siddur in their hands!” Once, when someone tried to hand him a different siddur, the Rebbe pointed toward the Siddur Shela, indicating his preference for davening from that siddur. He turned to the approbations and pointed out that which the Tzaddik Rov Yoel Sirkis, mechaber of Bayis Chodosh – the Bach on the Tur – wrote in his haskoma: “I promise that whoever davens from this siddur, his prayers shall not return empty – and not remain unanswered!” (Sarfei Kodesh p. 350)
(Translator’s note: I remember as a bochur, when I asked the Sulitzer Rebbe, zt”l, of Far Rockaway why he davened from the Siddur Shela, he showed me the same haskoma of the Bach and pointed out these holy words to me as well.)
