Fascinating letter handwritten and signed by the renowned gaon Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer, one of the leaders of Orthodox Jewry in Germany, addressed to the gaon Rabbi Raphael Bamberger, av beit din of Aschaffenburg. It discusses the conflict that occurred between the av beit din and the community leaders there on topics of the status of religion.1884.
R’ Simchah at first sent a letter immersed in hints to R’ Azriel, in which he requested that R’ Azriel issue a specific certificate that would help him. In this letter, R’ Azriel writes back to him “… I received [your] missive through his pleasant son (apparently Rabbi Yitzchak Zekkel, av beit din of Kissingen, who was a disciple of R’ Azriel’s). Unfortunately, I heard from him what it means, and the meaning of the hints in his letter, about the conflict with the leaders of the community regarding the status of religion and lofty worldly matters. I share [your] sorrow, yet with all this, I am even more distressed that I cannot fulfill your request to write a certificate …”
Later on in the letter, there are handwritten halachic comments by R’ Azriel with respect to this conflict. “Know that this opinion is absolutely astonishing in several ways … and we do not have a clearly proven way to show that this reponsum is not a fake …” He then signs, ” The small one, Azriel Hildesheimer .”
At the bottom of the letter, there is a small handwritten comment, possibly written by the addressee, Rabbi Raphael.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the gaon Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer and Rabbi Simchah HaLevi Bamberger .
[1] double graph paper leaf. Over [20] lines handwritten and signed by him. 14×22 cm. Fine-very fine condition. Aging stains. Fold marks and slight creases.