Moshe Teitelbaum (Ujhel)

Moshe Teitelbaum (Yiddish: משה טייטלבוים; 1759 - July 17, 1841), also known as the Yismach Moshe, was the Rebbe of Ujhely (Sátoraljaújhely) in Hungary. According to Leopold Löw, he signed his name "Tamar", this being the Hebrew equivalent of Teitelbaum, which is the Yiddish for "date palm" (compare German "Dattelbaum").^[1] An adherent of the Polish Hasidic rebbe Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin. Teitelbaum was instrumental in bringing Hasidic Judaism to Hungary. Though initially opposed to Hassidism, after his son-in-law introduced him to Jacob Isaac Horowitz, he soon became an adherent.^[2]

Teitelbaum first served as a rabbi in Przemyśl, and later in Ujhely, where he was called in 1808.^[3] In Ujhely he founded a Hassidic congregation which was independent of the Galician leaders. In 1822 Teitelbaum was suspected of having supplied amulets to certain Jewish culprits who had been cast into prison for libel, in order to assist them in escaping. When called upon to vindicate himself he declared that the amulets in question served only as substitutes for the mezuzah and that their only purpose was to protect their bearers against demons.^[4] Teitelbaum enjoyed an enviable reputation, with even Moses Sofer paying him homage.^[1][5]