(ANGLO-JUDAICA).
Meldola, Chief Rabbi Raphael. Ein Eth Lachashoth ...

Meldola, Chief Rabbi Raphael. Ein Eth Lachashoth [“It is not the time to remain silent.”]
In Hebrew, with four paragraphs in English. pp. 4. Some staining, slight marginal tears, not affecting text. Unbound. Sm. folio. Vinograd, London 273.

London: 1827.

Raphael Meldola (1754-1828), served as a rabbi in his native Livorno before being invited to become Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of England in 1804. It was in the latter capacity that Meldola was called upon to issue a ruling in this fascinating case of a mispronounced word with ramifications on several tangential questions, such as the degree of respect due to communal rabbis and the importance of, and limitations to, the use of minhag (traditional custom) in the determination of Jewish law.
     For decades the honor of reading the Torah portion which includes the “Song at the Sea” (Exodus 15) was bestowed to the local rabbi, who painstakingly chanted the words with great attention to their proper pronunciation. When, after twenty years, an illness prevented the (unnamed) rabbi from attending synagogue, the cantor recited the portion instead, and word reached the rabbi that the cantor had apparently mispronounced the word Matz’u in verse 22 with a “Sheva na” rather than a “Sheva nach.” When this portion was read again on the seventh day of Passover, the rabbi again was not well but sent unambiguous instructions that the word be properly pronounced. The cantor nevertheless chose to pronounce the word as was his custom, in direct opposition to the rabbi’s explicit instructions.
     In this forcefully worded responsum, Meldola first addresses the grammatical question, citing numerous sources to affirm the rabbi’s reading of the word in question. He follows up by sharply criticizing those who maintain that correct reading of the Torah is dependent upon local custom. Finally, he weighs in on the matter of respect for rabbinical authority. He harshly castigates the hazan and directs him to appease the rabbi or else face dire punishment as befits one who shames or is in contempt of a rabbinic sage.
     The Hebrew responsum is printed with an English summary to ensure that Meldola’s ruling is available to all the members of the community, irrespective of their level of Hebrew literacy.