Letter signed by R. "Yaakov Yosef - Chief Rabbi". New York, Nisan 1894.
Letter of ordination for a Shochet (ritual slaughterer) - R. Meshulam Feish Gross from Debrecen, Hungary. Written by a scribe, and signed by R. Yaakov Yosef: "So says Yaakov Yosef, Chief Rabbi". Stamped: "Yaakov Yosef - Chief Rabbi of the Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations".
"I hereby license him to be a Shochet and Bodek (inspector) in all Jewish communities, and it is permitted for even those who are exceptionally meticulous, to eat from the products of this slaughterer, the humble shall eat and be sated, on condition he does not encroach on his fellow's territory in areas of Shechita, and reviews the laws of Shechita as is described in the Acharonim…".
The illustrious R. Yaakov Yosef (1841-1902), a leading Lithuanian Torah scholar, appointed in his later years as chief rabbi in NY (the first and last rabbi to serve as chief rabbi of New York and the United States). A prominent disciple of R. Yisrael of Salant, due to his exceptional Torah genius he was dubbed R. Yakli Charif (the sharp). He served as rabbi of Velon (Veliuona), Yurburg (Jurbarkas) and New Žagarė. In the summer of 1883, he was appointed orator and head posek of Vilna. His sermons, which incorporated the mussar of his teacher R. Yisrael Salant, were widely acclaimed and many thronged to hear him speak. L'Beit Yaakov, his book of homily, was printed in his lifetime in several editions. In 1888, he was appointed chief rabbi of New York by the Agudat HaKehillot who sought an illustrious personage to bolster Torah observance in the United States. Upon his arrival in the U.S., R. Yaakov Yosef established and consolidated all religious requirements of the Jewish community: Kashrut and Shechita, Batei Din and rabbinates, Torah education and the founding of the first yeshiva in the United States. He fell ill following fierce struggles with owners of meat plants who did not look favorably upon his activities in the area of Kashrut. He died in 1902 and was greatly honored by tens of thousands of Jews attending his funeral, the largest Jewish funeral to take place in the USA of those times.
His gravesite in the Union Field Cemetery, NY, is until this day a prayer site, with thousands of Jews from all sects of Orthodox Judaism in America visiting his grave on the anniversary of his passing. Many stories circulate of salvations attained after praying at his gravesite, whether for health, livelihood or finding a spouse (R. Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar encouraged people to pray at R. Yaakov Yosef's gravesite and he would frequently recount of people who merited a salvation after visiting this holy site). Many biographic articles and compositions were written about R. Yaakov Yosef, the most renowned work being the English book (translated from Yiddish) "The Rav HaKolel and his Generation".
[1] double leaf. Approx. 20 cm. Fair condition. Tears and wear, primarily to left margin.