Very lengthy letter [approximately 60 lines] handwritten and signed by the great gaon Rabbi Meir Dan Plotzki, av beit din of Dvohrt, who was known for his uncompromising battle against Shlomo Friedlander, forger of the Yerushalmi-Kodshim. Sent to the gaon Rabbi Yosef Leib Sofer, av beit din of Paks, who was one of those who gave an approbation to the Yerushalmi Yevamot with a commentary by the above-mentioned forger. Erev Shabbat Parashat Naso , 1908.
At the beginning of the letter, Rabbi Meir Dan writes: “Here I sit diligently working on my sefer , my greatest pleasure in this world, when I see that Torah scholars take interest in the words …” and he mentions his book Kli Chemdah , which “many great sages said brings them satisfaction, more than my work Chemdat Yisrael …” He later writes, “I am presently printing … on some Talmudic topics, in the form of a large compilation on Yerushalmi Kodshim …” The kuntress he is referring to is clearly his famous work Sha’alu Shlom Yerushalayim .
As is known, Rabbi Meir Dan, who was very involved in the doctrine of the Yerushalmi, was at first very enthusiastic about the ‘historic discovery’ that was first revealed in 1906. It was only after several long months that he began to have misgivings, difficulties surfaced and arose in his mind which gradually accumulated, and in Adar 1908, he authored the book Sha’alu Shlom Yerushalayim . Even after writing it, it was not published until 1910, in order to confirm that he knew all the claims and was able to answer them properly.
Those same stormy months, there were sharp essays in the various journals, and anonymous kuntressim were disseminated for and against each side. This letter was written at the very height of those stormy days.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of Rabbi Meir Dan Plotzki and the addressee, Rabbi Yosef Leib Sofer .
[1] double leaf paper, [4] written pages. 21 cm.
Fine-very fine condition. Fold marks with light tears in the margins. Aging stains.