Ma'aseh Beit Din Signed by Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis, Av Beit Din of Mantua, 1787

Ma'aseh Beit Din Signed by Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis, Av Beit Din of Mantua, 1787

A scion of the ancient will grow from the vine / And for seekers of his good, his beauty will shine / His produce will be consumed as his sweet law / Indeed his praise resembles him, Selah! (Ramcha"l, in his poem on Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis)

Document attesting that a youth divorced his fiancée per Jewish law, signed in the hand of Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis, Av Beit Din of Mantua. Enacted in the Beit Din of Mantua in 1787.

Aside from Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis's signature, there are also signatures from two additional dayanim: Rabbi Azriel Yitzchak HaLevi and Rabbi Zerach Ya'akov b"r Rephael Naftali Katz. The bridegroom's signature and others also appear, in Italian.

Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah Kazis, Av Beit Din of Mantua [d. 1793] was a leading Italian sage, expert in both depth and breadth, and a wondrous sermonizer; rabbi of Mantua beginning in 1754. The Ramcha"l wrote a lengthy poem (20 stanzas!) in his honor. And the Chid"a, who heard his sermons, praised them extensively (see Ma'agalei Tov p. 79). He authored poems and prayers, as well as halachic responsa. His writings include: A prayer for the Jews of Mantua; a prayer for Kaiser Jozef's victory in his war against the French armies. (Also refer to: Toldot Gedolei Yisrael B'Italia p. 160; Simonson Toldot HaYehudim BeDuchsot Mantuva p. 541.)

Rabbi Azriel Yitzchak HaLevi [d. 1809] was a lecturer, dayan and sermonizer in Mantua. (Refer to: Toldot, p. 283, Simonson, ibid, p. 523).

Rabbi Zerach Ya'akov b"r Rephael Naftali Katz [d. 1794] was a dayan and a poet. (Refer to: Simonson, ibid, p. 335, note 433).

[1] leaf double paper. 17x23 cm. High-quality paper.

Very fine condition. Fold marks.