Chalitzah Document Signed by Leading Disciples of the Ramcha"l, Rama"d Wally and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazak. Padua, 1748

Chalitzah Document Signed by Leading Disciples of the Ramcha"l, Rama"d Wally and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazak. Padua, 1748

This document was enacted in the beit din of the geonim and tzaddikim Rabbi Moshe David Wally and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazak of Padua, among the leading disciples of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato. Important and exceptionally rare document.

A chalitzah document is essentially a guarantee for chalitzah, in which the brothers of the bridegroom [from the Luzzato family] commit to perform chalitzah free of charge and unconditionally in the event that, Heav-n forbid, their brother die childless.

Rabbi Moshe David Wally and Rabbi Ya'akov Chazak were older than the Ramcha"l and the Ramcha"l joined the yeshivah they founded in Padua, yet due to the Ramcha"l's greatness and sanctity, they submitted themselves to him and learned Torah from him.

Rabbi Moshe David Wally [1697-1777] was one of the Ramcha"l's primary disciples in the revealed and hidden [aspects of Torah] and there are those who say that Rabbi Moshe David was ten years older than the Ramcha"l and that he was initially the Ramcha"l's teacher (Elmanatzi in Kerem Chemer) and this is also what his townsman Rabbi. M. Sh. Girodni wrote: "I heard wondrous matters of his Torah, piety and sanctity. He was a primary disciple and confidante of ... Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato zlh"h, a complete sage, a wondrous sermonizer and G-dly Kabbalist. He authored a multi-layered [ע"ד פרד"ס] commentary on the whole Tana"ch and responsa to Christians on matters of faith, alongside some works on the true path, which he composed in sanctity. He was also a cantor at the Sephardic synagogue. He would study Torah standing upright and would not go to sleep at night until all the Jews of his community arrived back safely; he would pray for them that no harm come to them. His writings have been published in our time, in the series Kitvei Rama"d Wally, numbering over twenty books.

Rabbi Ya'akov Chazak, Av Beit Din of Padua [1689-1782] was one of the leading sages of Italy of his time. He passed away in Padua at the age of 93 and was buried there. The Chid"a said that he was holy as a G-dly angel ... and even asked to be blessed by him (refer to Ma'agal Tov p. 8, Girodni p. 148) and in his book Dvash L'Fi (in the entry on Berachah) where he calls him עיר וקדיש סבא קדישא.

[1] leaf double paper. 20x29 cm.

Very fine condition. Minimal aging stains. Perforation and tiny tear in the white margins without damage to text.