Handwritten letter by Shmuel David Luzzato to Rabbi Shlomo Yehudah HaCohen Rapoport (ShY”R). Elul/September 1849.
ShaDa”L writes at length in his letter about the “Spring of Nations” riots in his city, Padua “Pogroms have come upon us and upon all residents of Europe, dangers have come upon our heads … to the point that everything that preceded these upheavals should be forgotten, and this time our discussion should not be as two brothers fleeing from this revolution, meeting each other on our way, are you still alive, are you my brother? … My heart still trembles when I remember the day of February eighth, the day of the killing in our city. I left my home towards evening … and behold, the people were suddenly running, fleeing the sword towards us … moments after leaving, another disciple passed that way … and a man of war stabbed him at the gate post, killing him. From that day until March 24th when the Germans left our city, we were constantly afraid and anxious.”
ShaDa”L also writes about the birth of his son, Yosef: “On the night of the 25th of Tevet, a son was born to me, I called him Yosef …” as well as writing about a compilation he just published in Italian. At the end of the letter, ShaDa”L quotes from a letter sent to him in Italian.
ShaDa”L (1800-1865) – was one of the progenitors of the Chochmat Yisrael movement and one of the haskalah (“enlightenment”) personalities of Galicia, the head of the rabbinical study hall in Padua, Italy. In his role as head of the rabbinical study hall in Padua, he had a tremendous influence on the image of Italian Jewry, both in his lifetime and thereafter. His nationalist perspectives were also reflected in the activities of the generation of revival, after the decline of the haskalah movement.
Rabbi Shlomo Yehudah HaCohen Rapoport (1790-1867) was on of the founders of the “Chochmat Yisrael” movement and one of the haskalah personalities of Galicia, Av Beit Din of Tarnopol and Prague.
[1] leaf, written on both sides, 33 cm. A wide piece of paper is pasted to the top of the leaf which covers the beginning of the letter, on which ShaDa”L wrote information about the letter – the name of the addressee, the date, etc. Moderate-fine condition. Tears and creases in the margins. Minimal stains.