Early Mission Letter for Emissaries Mahari"t Algazi and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazan, of the Jerusalem Sages, to the Modena ...

Early Mission Letter for Emissaries Mahari"t Algazi and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazan, of the Jerusalem Sages, to the Modena Community. Jerusalem, 1770

Early and important missive appointing Rabbi Yom Tov Algazi and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazan to collect funds and solicit contributions from the Modena community (in Italy).

The difficult situation in Jerusalem in the early 1760s, conflicts within and without, and its extremely desperate economic state brought the sages of Jerusalem to write this missive. Jerusalem's debts rose to a level of 70,000 aslandis (lions), a huge sum in those days. The debts were owed to gentiles and to Jews, and they request redemption. The special emissaries sent until that point by the Ashkenazim to the Ashkenaz communities made efforts to appeal to the heads of the communities to dedicate their funds to the Ashkenazim in Jerusalem only. A need was therefore felt in the Jerusalem community for a special mission imposed on two of the geonim of Jerusalem, none other than Rabbi Yom Tov Algazi and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazan.

This mission took six years, and in 1677 the Mahari"t Algazi returned to Jerusalem and within a short time he was appointed chief rabbi of Jerusalem. Refer to A. Ya'ari, Shluchei Eretz Yisrael p. 535 about this mission. The document concludes with the prayer "to give them a blessing today" and a chronogram for the year 1770: והא"רץ אזכ"ר לפ"ק.

Rabbinic signatories on this missive:

Rabbi Rephael Meyuchas son of Rabbi Shmuel Meyuchas [author of Pri HaAdamah], Rabbi Chaim Nisko HaKohen, S"T, Rabbi Ya'akov Yisrael Burlah S"T [author of Shu"t Mekor Yisrael and Nachalat Yehuda], Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Meyuchas S"T, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Meyuchas [later the Rishon LeTziyon], Rabbi Nissim Chaim Yerucham of Vilna, the youth Shlomo son of Rephael Moshe Bulah [author of Lechem Shlomo], Rabbi Sa'adyah Marzuk, S"T, Ephraim ben Rabbi Yeudah Navon zlh"h [author of Bayit Moshav], the youth Eliyahu Tzvi S"T, Rabbi Rephael Moshe Bulah [author of Get Mekushar].

[1] leaf paper. 32x22 cm. High-quality paper.

Very fine condition. Fold marks. Aging stains.