Letter by Harav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld to Harav Akiva Sofer, Av Beis Din of Pressburg, Objecting to the Shomrei Shevi’is Association. Jerusalem, 1909.
Shortly prior to the onset of Shemitah 1910, a group of tzedakah activists in Yerushalayim formed the Shomrei Shevi’is Association to support Jewish farmers dwelling in settlements across Eretz Yisrael. To promote their efforts, they even dispatched a fundraiser to Czechoslovakia to raise money for the Shemitah-observant farmers.
Harav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld issued a strong objection against this Association and its mission, explaining that the charity funds would negatively impact the regular funds sent to the Torah scholars learning in Kollelim in Yerushalayim who lived in a constant state of abject poverty. He maintained that the Association was founded in order to support Jews who had shed the yoke of Torah and faith and whose financial circumstances were sufficient to support them comfortably without the charity funds.
This long letter fills two large leaves and is signed at the bottom by Harav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. Additional signatures of Harav Yechiel Dovid Deitsch son of Harav Shimon Deitsch, who was one of the Chasam Sofer’s first disciples to settle in Eretz Yisrael and served as Rosh Kollel of Estreich-Ungarin Kollel.
Jerusalem, 1909. 2 leaves. Estreich Kollel stationery. Page size: 29×22 cm. Hole punches and light creases.
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