Redeeming Captive Residents of Jerusalem
Letter on Behalf of Rabbi Avraham Rovigo and Rabbi Chaim Chazzan Signed by the Sages of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, 1704.
Original historical document regarding the Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, signed by the great 17th and early 18th century sages of Jerusalem
The plight of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem at that time was dire. The sovereign leaders levied impossible taxes upon them, and those who were unable to pay were imprisoned often along with their wives and children, and synagogue gates were chained shut.
The Rabbis of Jerusalem describe their tribulations in this letter:
“…And he increased the suffering by taking women and children, and there’s no money to be found. He became enraged and crowded the entire community inside a narrow prison and decreed destruction upon the synagogues and batei midrash…
Jerusalem is wreathed in mourning; we are all destitute and were even forced to sell the shirts off our backs…”
The letter is signed by the great sages of Jerusalem of the era:
Harav Avraham Brodo, author of Birkat Avraham, Venice 1696. The Chacham Tzvi referred to him as “the most remarkable of the gedolim of Constantinople.”
Rishon Letzion Harav Avraham Yitzchaki (1661-1729), author of Shu”t Zera Avraham. He was one of the great Sephardic Achronim and a grandson of Harav Avraham Azzulai who authored Chessed L’Avraham. His disciples included Harav Moshe Chagiz who authored Batei Kehunah and Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachia Azzulai, father of the Chida. (Shem Hagedolim)
Harav Yehuda Hakohen was a venerable sage who studied in the Beit Midrash of the Pri Chadash. His responsa appear in the works of his contemporaries, and the Chida cites his novellae in his sefarim. (Shem Hagedolim)
Harav Yehosef Kokani was a rabbi in Jerusalem and later in Chevron. He taught the Batei Kehunah and authored many responsa, some of which were published in the works of his contemporaries. Rabbi Chaim Abulafia and the Chida quote him in their sefarim. (Shem Hagedolim and in the notes of the Machon Maor edition.)
Harav Shmuel Hakohein was a dayan in Jerusalem who travelled to Morocco to fundraise for the destitute community in Eretz Yisrael. One of his responsum was published in Shu”t Ginat Vradim, Orach Chaim (2:5).
Harav Shimshon Gometz Pato (d. 1714) was one of the sages of Jerusalem who served on the Beit Din of Rav Avraham Yitzchaki, son in law of the Urim Gedolim. He traveled to Turkey to fundraise for the destitute Jewish community, but was murdered by a group of bandits in Greece in the year 1714 (Shluchei Eretz Yisrael page 358). The Chida quotes his divrei Torah in his sefer.
Harav Moshe Chayun was the son of Harav Aharon Chayun, a kabbalist and author of Machaneh Aharon. He was the son-in-law of Harav Chagiz and served as a Rabbi in Tzfas at the end of his life. He authored many responsa, some of which were published in the works of his contemporaries; Zera Avraham, Mateh Yosef and Ginat Veradim. (Shem Hagedolim)
The following were the two most prestigious emissaries sent by the sages of Jerusalem during that era to solicit funds for the suffering Jewish community:
Harav Avraham Rovigo (circa 1650-1714) was renowned throughout the Diaspora as one of the greatest kabbalists in his generation. He was a student of the Ramaz and a friend of the Rabach. He settled in Eretz Yisrael in the year 1704 where he established a yeshivah. Due to his fame, the Sages of Jerusalem specifically assigned him the mission of traveling across Europe as their rabbinical emissary.
Harav Chaim Chazan authored Shenot Chayim (Venice, 1696). He was the son of Harav Yosef Chazan who authored Ein Yosef and Ein Yehosef.
Jerusalem, 1704. Beautifully written by a scribe. Original autographs. Page size: 23×20 cm. Good condition.
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