In 1914, the Ohel Moshe yeshivah was established in the Mahari”l Diskin’s courtyard by Rabbi Yeshayah Orenstein. The yeshivah was founded as a result of the economic distress of Ashkenazic Talmudic scholars and married students in Jerusalem’s yeshivahs. In this yeshivah, they received monthly support in the sum of 2 napoleons, in contrast to the amount received in other yeshivahs – half a napoleon a month (which explains the following letters).
Important and interesting court ruling written and signed by the Da’at Sofer of Pressburg and the geonim of Jerusalem, members of the Bada”tz: the Ra’ava”d Rabbi Pinchas Epstein, Rabbi Yisrael Yitzchak Reisman, Rabbi David Jungreis and the gaon Rabbi Zelig Reuven Bengis. Jerusalem, 1952.
The letter begins with complaints from Rabbi Baruch Deutch, who served for many years as the emissary for the Ohel Moshe yeshivah, and now, towards his old age, when walking is difficult for him, he requests acceptance as a regular student at said yeshivah, the catch being that there was an old regulation that scholars beyond the age of 60 would not be accepted to the yeshivah. The rabbis signed on the letter side with the emissary’s claim and rule that the yeshivah is to accept him as a regular student. The ga’avad of Pressburg and the geonim Rabbi Pinchas Epstein and Rabbi Bengis each add a lengthy notation in their respective hands. Important and topical ruling that deals with employer/employee relations in Torah institutions.
* Letter dealing with the above topic on official stationery handwritten and signed by Rabbi Zelig Reuven Bengis, rabbi of Jerusalem and author of L’Flagot Reuven . Jerusalem, 1953. This letter, written about half a year after the previous letter, was apparently written as a result of the rashei yeshivahs’ delay in acceding to the rabbis’ demand. Rabbi Bengis writes: “It has always been a basic rule in our holy Torah that we must all fulfill that which is demanded of us by the beit din, and the power of the beit din applies to all of us.” In the margins of the letter, two other rabbis signed as well.
* Letter on official stationery, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin [1885-1978] was the first Av Beit Din of Chaba”d rabbis in Israel and member of the Chief Rabbinic Council of Israel. Jerusalem, 1949.
* Letter on official stationery, handwritten and signed by Dr. Yehudah Morial, head of Bar Ilan University’s Interdisciplinary / Judaic Studies Department. Petach Tikvah, 1949.
* Letter on official stationery, handwritten, signed and stamped by the gaon and Kabbalist, Rabbi Ovadiah Hedayah [1890-1969], Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Petach Tikvah and member of the Rabbinic High Court, winner of the Israel Prize for Torah Literature in 1968. Jerusalem, 1949.
Various sizes and conditions, overall fine condition.