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Two historical documents by the Saba Kadisha, the Elder Holy Rabbi Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari from the beginning of the British Mandate in Eretz Israel. At that time, a conflict arose between the Zionist Va'ad HaTzirim (Committee of Delegates) headed by Dr. Chaim Weizmann and the Charedi circles in Jerusalem, who tried to stop the progress of Dr. Weizmann's control over the systems of the Rabbinate, education and the Charedi communities. At the beginning of the clash in 1919, the Va'ad HaTzirim assisted the establishment of the "Office of the Rabbinate of the Jewish Community" which served as the foundation of the Chief Rabbinate of Eretz Israel in 1921. Another stage of that dispute came about through the Communities statute of the Mandate government, according to which every Jewish citizen must pay the Hebrew community taxes [money which was not distributed to the Torah education systems in the independent Talmudei Torah and to Charedi community needs in general]. Later, the Communities Statute was amended with recognition of the separate Charedi community, which "departed" from the Knesset Israel community, however the Charedi community was obliged to sign special forms of "departure". This period was characterized by much propaganda supporting and opposing "departure".
The conflict mainly encountered the Ashkenazi rabbis while most of the Sephardic members of Rabbinical institutes and communities cooperated with the new systems of the Chief Rabbinate and the establishment of the National Committee. One exception to this was the elderly Rabbi of Safed, the Saba Kadisha Moharsha Alfandari, who was 105 years old at the time. Initially, the Rabbinate circles thought that he would cooperate with them [as portrayed by Item no. 1, sent to him by the Rabbinate Office], but they were not aware of his uncompromising opinions. Only later he became known as one of the few Sephardic rabbis who actively opposed the Zionists. Even after the Saba Kadisha moved to Jerusalem, he signed a "Departure" form from the Knesset Israel [see Item no. 2].
* Printed invitation to the "Convention of the Rabbis of Eretz Israel", beginning of Iyar 1919, on behalf of the Rabbinical Office of the Congregation of Israel, "For the purpose of organizing all the rabbis of Eretz Israel in one union". Sent to Safed, to the city's rabbi Moharsha Alfandari and to the Sephardic Beit Din. Jerusalem, Nissan 1919. On the side of the invitation is a long list [in the handwriting of Rabbi Shmuel Aharon Weber, secretary of the Rabbinical Office] with names of the rabbis of the various cities in Eretz Israel who were invited to this convention. This convention was one of the milestones on the way to the establishment of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
* A printed document in Hebrew, Yiddish and Arabic in Hebrew letters, with a notice according to the communities' statute, in support of "departure" and unsubscribing from the notebook of the "National Committee – Knesset Israel", with the [trembling] signature of the Saba Kadisha Rabbi "Shlomo A. Alfandari", with an authorization validating "the signature of the elder of the Torah leaders Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari" signed by Rabbi Aharon Avraham Slotki and Rabbi Ezra Shalom Shkalo Chalabi. Jerusalem, Adar Aleph 1929.
* Enclosed is a printed leaf "Song of the Departing" – commemorating the authorization of the communities statute in Eretz Israel, the 8th of Tevet 1928, with a song encouraging Charedi Jews who chose to depart from the lists of the "National Committee – Knesset Israel", including musical notes.
The Saba Kadisha, The holy, aged Torah genius Rabbi Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari, born c. 1813 and died in 1930, was a leading rabbi in Turkey. In his youth, he corresponded on halachic affairs with Rabbi Akiva Eiger [died in 1837]. He was Chief Rabbi of Constantinople and Damascus. At a very old age, close to 100, he moved to Eretz Israel and served in the Safed rabbinate. He spent his last years in Jerusalem, where he died at a very old age. While residing in Jerusalem, he seldom involved himself in public affairs and stayed home studying Torah, Halacha and "Hidden Wisdom", together with a few of the holy rabbis of Jerusalem. During his last year, the Rebbe of Munkatch, the author of Minchat Eliezer, came to Eretz Israel especially to meet the Rabbi Alfandari, and together they discussed Kabbalistic matters. He wrote the Maharsha responsa, the Saba Kadisha responsa and more.
The first signature is by the renowned Mekubal Rabbi Aharon Avraham Slotki (1883-1976), a close disciple of the Rav HaSadeh (Rabbi Chaim Shmuel HaCohen Dweck) and Rabbi Alfandari. One of the leading mekubalim in Jerusalem and one of the heads of the Sha'ar HaShamayim Yeshiva. He lived a long life and during his last years he headed the Ahavat Shalom Yeshiva for the study of Kabbala.
The second signature belongs to Rabbi Ezra Shkalo (1892-1982), who moved from Aleppo to Jerusalem in 1918. His father Rabbi Shalom ben Rabbi Ezra Shma Shkalo, an exceptionally pious Mekubal from Aleppo, died in 1919. Rabbi Ezra who assisted the leaders and Tzaddikim of his time, lived in the court of the Silvera Synagogue and was a neighbor of Rabbi Alfadari and Rabbi David Laniado, author of L'Kdoshim Asher Ba'Aretz. He supported the various activities of the Mekubal Rabbi Yehuda Fatiyah, and assisted in publishing and distributing his works and in arranging prayers and Tikunim during the Holocaust. Many of the rabbis of the Tawil family are his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
3 leaves, varied size and condition.