Letter for Emissaries by the Sages of Jerusalem Headed by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Author of "Zera Avraham" – ...

Letter for Emissaries by the Sages of Jerusalem Headed by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Author of "Zera Avraham" – Jerusalem, 1704

Letter for emissaries by the leading rabbis of Jerusalem, to the Ancona community. Jerusalem, [1704].

The letter was given to the emissaries the genius rabbis the kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Rovigo (1650-1714), one of the leading kabbalists of Italy, a disciple of the Remez, and to rabbi Chaim Chazan, one of the sages of Izmir, author of "Shenot Chaim" and the grandfather of the "Chikrei Lev", who were sent to Ancona, Italy. The letter is hand-signed by the leading rabbis of Jerusalem in the 17th century whose greatness and Torah was of world-renowned.

The letter is about "trouble and distress" experienced by the residents of Jerusalem due to a large debt they owe to the Moslems who rule Jerusalem. In order to collect the money, yhe Moslem took steps against the Jews, confiscating synagogues and Batei Midrash and arresting the leaders of the Jewish community, so much so that the Jews were forced to sell their clothes to get the money.  

The letter is signed by the leading rabbis of Jerusalem:

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchaki (1661-1729), a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Ya'akov and his son Rabbo Moshe Galanti; Rabbi Avraham Brodo (1635-1710), one of the leading Sephardic rabbis of Jerusalem, author of the book Birkat Avraham (Venice, 1696);

Rabbi Moshe Chayun (Otzar Harabbanim 14696) one of the leading sages of Jerusalem, the son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael Ya'akov Hagiz; Rabbi Yeuda Hacohen (Otzar Harabbanim 6966), a disciple of the "Pri Chadash", authored novellae on the "Lechem Mishneh"; Rabbi Shimshon Gomez Pato (died in 1714. Otzar Harabbanim 20062, one of the important sages of Jerusalem, served as a Dayan together with Rabbi Avraham Yitzchaki); Rabbi Yehosef Konki (Otzar Harabbanim 8556, a member of the Beit Din of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchaki, the rabbi of Rabbi Yitzchak Rappaport author of "Batei Kehunah").  

An extremely rare document for several reasons: A. its historical content; B. the importance of the emissaries; C. The importance of the rabbis who signed the letter; D. its good condition. The letter before us has been kept at the outmost level for more than 300 years. The letter is referred to in biography books of the leading rabbis who signed it.

About the events that preceded the letter and the difficult situation of Jerusalem during the first half of the 18th century, see A. Ya'ari "Shluchei Eretz Yisrael" pp. 343-351 (material enclosed).

[1] leaf. 20x23cm. Very good condition. Bright quality leaf.