Letter from the Gaon and Kabbalist Rabbi Rephael Tzemach Ben Shimon. Jerusalem, 1759

Letter from the Gaon and Kabbalist Rabbi Rephael Tzemach Ben Shimon. Jerusalem, 1759

Letter of recommendation from the gaon Rabbi Rephael Tzemach ben Shimon, signed by him, for Rabbi Moshe bar David di Modina, who is traveling from Jerusalem to Livorno as an emissary for himself due to his severe financial straits.

Later on in the letter, Rabbi Rephael requests that they make sure to fulfill the promise of one of the departed financial leaders of the Livorno community, who undertook to send him a year's support.

The G-dly kabbalistֲ Rabbi Rephael Tzemach ben Shimon [d. 1780] was a leading Jerusalem sage and Kabbalist during the time of the Rasha"sh and the Mahari"t Algazi. He led the Chessed L'Avraham and Binyan Shlomo yeshivahs. Rabbi Rephael is the first signatory on Jerusalem mission letters and regulations. His headstone is engraved:"הרב המובהק חסידא קדישא" (See also: Toldot Chachmei Yerushlayim Part III, pp. 44, 123; Ohr HaShemesh pp. 158.)

[3] pages, 17x20 cm each. (The first and second pages contain the body of the letter; the third contains the details of the sender and of the addressee.) Thick, quality paper. Oriental script. Scribal script signed by Rabbi Rephael Tzemach.

Fine condition. Fold marks. Aging stains. Tiny tears (on the third page) without damage to text.