After the passing of the ‘Yisah Berachah, ‘ who was one of the geonim of the generation, accepted by all communities, there were two candidates to fill his position. One was considered moderate in terms of his religious opinions, which was a thorn in the side of the leaders of the old yishuv. But because they had no reason to intervene and no connection to the appointment, the rabbis appealed to their colleagues abroad to influence the government in Turkey to not appoint someone inappropriate. This file contains documents that relate to this affair.
The file includes:
* Poster about the convening of the assembly for the selection of the Chacham Bashi, entirely in scribal script, signed by the giants of Jerusalem, Admo”rs, rabbis, dayanim, and heads of institutions. Av, 1906: Among the signatories: Members of the Perushim’s beit din, members of the Chassidim’s beit din, followed by the geonim and tzaddikim: R’ Dovber Efrat, the Admo”r Rabbi David Tzvi Shlomo Biderman of Lelov, R’ Zalman Bahara”n, R’ Bezalel Yeshayah Bernstein [Ra’avad], Rabbi Yehoshua Michel Shapira [his signatures are extraordinarily rare], Rabbi Zerach Reuven Braverman, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.
* [6] letters and invitations from: Sephardic rabbis: R’ Avraham Koanikah, Rabbi Avraham Philisoph, R’ Chaim Sornaga [Ra’avad]. Ashkenazic rabbis: R’ Yisrael Dov Frumkin.
* Printed poster about the assembly’s decision: The selection of Rabbi Eliyahu Panigel (x2).
* Printed poster: Letters from Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and Rabbi Yonatan Binyamin Horowitz to the administrators of the city’s institutions, in which they announce the assembly’s decision. The second part of the announcement is the letter from Rabbi Nathan Bamberger, Av Beit Din of Würzburg, and one of the heads of the Clerks and Administrators organization.
Total: [9] documents, some in their original envelopes.
Various sizes and conditions. Overall fine condition.