Two Letters Addressed to Rabbi Zalman Walldürn Dayan of the Electorate of Mainz - Letter of Approbation Signed by ...

Two Letters Addressed to Rabbi Zalman Walldürn Dayan of the Electorate of Mainz - Letter of Approbation Signed by R. Moshe Charif Brandeis Rabbi of Mainz - Germany, 1738-1746
Two handwritten letters, addressed to R. Shlomo Zalman Walldürn, dayan of the Electorate of Mainz in the first half of the 18th century: letter of approbation to a book, accorded by the renowned Torah scholar R. Moshe Charif Brandeis Rabbi of Mainz, and a letter from the Stuttgart community, requesting R. Zalman's involvement as arbitrator in a certain court case. Germany, 1738-1746. • Lengthy letter handwritten and signed by R. "Moshe Segal Brandeis, who resides in the community of Mainz and the region". Mainz, Av 1746. Approbation to an ethics book authored by R. Zalman - "Words of reproach and admonishment, to benefit youth and elders". In the approbation, R. Moshe writes that R. Zalman wishes to publish this book in order to find respite from the financial strain of his children's educational fees and the expenses of his daughter's wedding, and he therefore rules that no one should compete with him for the next eight years (see enclosed material: transcription of the approbation text). The composition referred to is not known and was presumably never published. A different composition by R. Zalman Walldürn, pertaining to synagogue customs, is extant today in manuscript, in the NLI, Jerusalem (Ms. Yah. Heb. 183, Microfilm B708). [1] leaf (2 written pages). 21 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Tears to folding marks, affecting text. Brown ink (slightly faded and difficult to decipher). • Letter (in Yiddish), signed by R. "Mordechai Schloss", requesting R. Zalman come to Stuttgart on the coming Tuesday to serve as arbitrator. Stuttgart, Av 1738. Address inscribed on the verso: "To the Bödigheim community, near Buchen(?) in Odenwald". [1] folded leaf. 22 cm. Fair-poor condition. Stains and dampstains. Tears and wear. Remnants of wax seal. R. Moshe Segal Brandeis - known as R. Moshe Charif (ca. 1680-1767), a foremost rabbi of his times (the generation of the Pnei Yehoshua and R. Yehonatan Eybeschutz). Eldest son of R. Yaakov Brandeis, Rabbi of Mainz, and descendant of the Maharal of Prague. In his youth, he studied under R. Avraham Broda, who held him in high esteem and even honored him with delivering a Torah discourse to his disciples in his presence. After his marriage to the daughter of R. Gavriel Frankel, founder of the Fürth Kloiz (he would sign with the acronym Ch.R.G. - Chatan R. Gavriel - son-in-law of R. Gavriel), he began disseminating Torah in 1706 to the students of the Kloiz (the Fürth yeshiva), and in 1713 was appointed rabbi of Schnaittach and the Ansbach district. In 1717, he went to serve as rabbi of Bumsla (Mladá Boleslav), and in 1733, was appointed rabbi of Mainz, position he held for 34 years. An astute Torah scholar, he was also proficient in Kabbalah. He edified many disciples who later served in the rabbinate and disseminated Torah. He was famous for his extraordinary sharpness, earning the title of R. Moshe Charif (this title was even inscribed in his epitaph in Mainz - "And he disseminated Torah in the yeshiva, until he became known by one and all as R. Moshe Charif"). Remnants of his writings were published in the book Chidushei R. Moshe Charif (Jerusalem Institute, Jerusalem 1987), see his biography in the foreword. Recipient of the letter: R. Shlomo Zalman Walldürn (d. 1753), was born to R. Binyamin Ze'ev Wolf Rabbi of Lubaczów, yeshiva dean and head of dayanim in Pinsk, author of Gefen Yechidit. He was a disciple of R. Naftali Katz author of Semichat Chachamim in Posen, and son-in-law of R. Moshe HaKohen Walldürn. He served as dayan and posek of the Electorate of Mainz and as rabbi of Bödigheim and the region. He published the Passover Haggadah with the Avodat HaGefen commentary authored by his father and grandfather (Offenbach, 1722). In the Memorbuch of the Bödigheim, he is memorialized: "He led the residents of our region in the correct path for forty-seven years, established regulations and composed books, and conducted himself with modesty his whole life" (see enclosed material).