A Letter By Rabbi Ya'akov Bashan to Rabbi David Berlin Rabbi of Altona, Hamburg, Wandsbek - Hamburg, 1769

A Letter By Rabbi Ya'akov Bashan to Rabbi David Berlin Rabbi of Altona, Hamburg, Wandsbek - Hamburg, 1769
A letter handwritten and signed by Rabbi Ya'akov Bashan, to Rabbi David Berlin Rabbi of Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek. Hamburg, 1769.
"Thank you for the good you have done for me, Hamburg Leaders¦ but the tzaddik's prayers have achieved half, since they have only sent a third of what the Altona community has sent¦ and the completion of the mitzvah is yet to be done to speak to the Wandsbek community¦ and The True Helper will abundantly prepare our sustenance and all our needs with plenty from His Full Hands that we should not need other people's help and that we should be amongst the givers and helpers and not the receivers¦ ".
Rabbi Ya'akov Bashan, born in Amsterdam, Rabbi of the Sefardi community of Hamburg. Some attribute the book Yashresh Ya'akov (Altona 1668) to him that he published under the name of Rabbi Ya'akov Babani of Sefad [who was staying at that time in Hamburg]. He was the Ramchal's companion and admirer. After he began to write a book of ethics with a chapter about the way to acquire righteousness, he saw the Ramchal's manuscript of Mesilat Yesharim, and therefore hid his work and became the initiator, proofreader and publisher of Mesilat Yesharim (see his introduction to the first edition of the book).
The recipient, Rabbi David Berlin (died 1771, Otzar HaRabbanim 4732), son of Rabbi Aryeh Leib Mochiach and brother of Rabbi Yeshaya Pik Berlin. Rabbi of Communities Altona, Hamburg, Wandsbek until his death [see: Ducas, Iva L'Moshav, pages 59-63].
14 cm. Good condition, stains.