Lengthy Handwritten Responsum by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Bamberger, "The Würzburger Rav, " to his Son, the ...

Lengthy Handwritten Responsum by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Bamberger, "The Würzburger Rav, " to his Son, the Gaon Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi

Lengthy halachic letter [approximately 18 lines] entirely handwritten and signed by the renowned gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Dov HaLevi Bamberger, av beit din of Würzburg and one of the leading rabbis in Germany, known by the name of his city, as "The Würzburger Rav." Sent to his son, the gaon Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi, av beit din of Zenheim (Alsace). Würzburg, 1865?

The letter discusses the halachahs of mikva'ot. Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi clarifies a difficult and complex topic to his son regarding mikvehs. In the middle of his letter, where he reached the more complex issues, he switched into Yiddish, the spoken language in Germany, and wrote to his son, "I will explain this in Yiddish, so that you understand properly, and you should also explain it in Yiddish." It is unclear as to what Rabbi Yitzchak means when he tells his son to explain it as he does - is it a question his son asked on someone else's behalf and his father is instructing him to answer the questioner in Yiddish, or is his intent that his son print the responsum in this way, as it is known that Rabbi Shlomo dealt with printing his father's many writings?

Würzburg attracted many maskilim and the Reform due to the presence of the renowned University of Würzburg, a central philosophic and cultural location. Rabbi Bamberger had to endure a large majority of Reform who did not look kindly upon his candidacy for leadership of the entire district. They harassed him in the local press and sent him threatening letters. After two years of negotiation with the authorities, Rabbi Bamberger was elected in democratic elections run by the community. Most of the population in the district of Würzburg was still Orthodox, and as a result, Rabbi Bamberger was eventually elected. Incidentally, there is currently still a memorial statue for Rabbi Bamberger at the University of Würzburg!

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a summary of the life and activities of Rabbi Yitzchak Dov HaLevi Bamberger and a brief biography of his son, Rabbi Shlomo Bamberger.

[1] double leaf paper, 2x14 cm. Official stationery blank. Greenish. Entirely handwritten and signed by the Würzburger Rav.

Fine-very fine condition. Tiny tears and perforations in the margins.