“When I was in trouble with members of the chief rabbinate who followed my colleague, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, with closed eyes”
Letter discussing the affair of “the brother and the sister” [when Rabbi Goren permitted a brother and a sister who were mamzerim , against the opinion of leading rabbis]. This was one of the greatest rabbinic controversies in the State of Israel. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef writes in his beautiful penmanship about his feelings regarding the affair of ‘the brother and the sister’ and the permission Rabbi Goren gave them to marry. Jerusalem, Kislev, 1984.
The letter was sent to the widow of Rabbi Ya’akov Fink, former av beit din of Haifah . Rabbi Ovadia Yosef writes about his feelings “when I was in trouble with members of the chief rabbinate who followed my colleague, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, with closed eyes.” He writes that Rabbi Fink supported him gracefully and pleasantly in the matter. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef reveals in this letter that because Rabbi Fink refused to sign the hetter , he received threats that as a result of his refusal, he would not be selected as chief rabbi of Haifah. Despite this, he persevered and fulfilled what is written, “You shall not be afraid of any man.”
The entire letter is in Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s beautiful penmanship and his signature. Written on Rabbi Ovadia’s official stationery from his role as Rishon LeTziyon and chief rabbi of Israel. Alongside the words “Chief Rabbi of Israel’ Rabbi Ovadia added “previous.”
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the gaon Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and a short discussion of the ruling on the brother and the sister .
[1] leaf, approximately 24 cm.
Very fine condition.