Historical letter by Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov describing the devastation after the Arabs riots. Safed.1836
An emotional letter written by Harav Yisrael of Shklov to the philanthropist Reb Yechezkel ben Reuven Menashe of Bagdad. In his letter, Harav Yisrael relates the troubles that befell him during the printing of his work Pe’as Hashulchan and the enormous debts he incurred following the Arab rioting in Tzfas. These debts were compounded by prior debt that he’d assumed for the Jewish settlement of Tzfas.
Harav Yisrael of Shklov (1770-1839) was a pre-eminent disciple of the Vilna Gaon and the author of Pe’as Hashulchan. He merited to serve the Vilna Gaon for the last 6 month of his life, and the Vilna Gaon favored him greatly .
In 1810, he led the group of the Vilna Gaon’s disciples to establish Jewish settlement in Tzfas, yet they endured tremendous hardships and suffering during their efforts to establish the Ashkenazic community there.
Pe’as Hashulchan is a foundational work on the laws of the mitzvos pertaining to the land of Eretz Yisrael.
The philanthropist Yechezkel ben Reuven Menashe (d. 1851) was one of the affluent, influential Jews of Babylon and a distinguished community leader. He established several yeshivos in Bagdad, including the Yeshivah of Rabbi Abdullah Somech which produced scholars such as the Ben Ish Chai. He was also a staunch supporter of the Jewish establishment in Eretz Yisrael.
Tzfas 28 Iyar, 1836. 20×12 cm. The letter is beautifully written in block letters so that the recipient who was not familiar with Ashkenazic cursive would be able to read it. Twice autographed; once in block letters and once in Ashkenazic cursive.
Left margin cropped with partial damage to the ends of the letters.
First published in Kovetz Sinai vol. 5 (Jerusalem, 1940) page 64.
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Arab Pogrom & Destruction of Printing Press
Harav Yisrael of Shklov began printing his work Pe’as Hashulchan in the year 1833 in the Tzfas-based publishing house of Reb Yisrael Beck, yet the printing was halted due to the terrible rioting and looting that befell the Jews of Tzfas. During the riots the printing press was destroyed and Harav Yisrael of Shklov was physically attacked.
The publishing of Pe’as Hashulchan didn’t resume for another 3 years until the Arab rebellion was suppressed.
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