Long and moving letter of supplication in the holy handwriting of Rabbi Mulla Yosef Ohr Shraga, rabbi of the city of Yazd, Persia, to Sir Moses Montefiore. Yazd, Persia [1872].
Specifications: [1] leaf, blue paper. 18X27 cm. Attached is a green leaf, 10×6 cm, bearing the recipient’s name and address.
Unique Features: Rabbi Yosef relates the suffering of the inhabitants of Yazd in his letter, complaining of their starvation and heavy tax burden, and in his flowery language he proceeds to describe their difficult situation.
As aforesaid, the entire letter was written in Rabbi Yosef’s holy hand, and is stamped on the right with: “The young Yosef son of his honor, Rabbi Ohr Ohr Shraga, may his merit protect us, amen,” and his signature, after which are the signatures of four of the city’s scholars.
Background: The tzaddik and gaon Rabbi Yosef Shraga was the fourth generation from the g-dly tzaddik Rabbi Mulla Ohr Shraga. He served as the rabbi of Yazd. Besides his greatness and righteousness, he was well versed in healing and medicine. He was regarded in Persia as a wonder worker, and many miraculous stories were told about him. His novellae and several stories of his wonders were printed in the book Tikkun HaBrit [p. 82-86, and in MiYazd L’Eretz HaKodesh p. 170-175].
Condition: Fine, except for a small tear that damages several letters, slight staining, including a stain that blurs several letters.