Leaf with four letters of recommendation in the handwriting of German rabbis, for Rabbi Aryeh Leib of Poland, grandson of the author of Sha'agat Aryeh. Germany, Adar Rishon and Sheni, 1840.
All the writers highly praise Rabbi Aryeh Leib and note his outstanding proficiency and sharpness of Torah knowledge. The first letter (dated the 17th of Adar Aleph 1840) is from Rabbi Ya'akov Yehuda Kaufman Av Beit Din of Leipheim, who writes that Rabbi Aryeh Leib arrived at their community "B'agala (pun - Aramaic for quickly, in Hebrew with the letter Heh – by carriage) u'vizman karov, in great honor", in the carriage given to him from community funds of the Elchingen community, with many recommendations of rabbis and Torah scholars. Rabbi Kaufman discussed Torah thoughts with him and concluded that he is indeed an exceptional Torah scholar and he recommends supporting him. He also writes that the community should finance a carriage to enable him to continue his travels from city to city to collect donations, because "He is a weak person and cannot go far by foot, and all who have mercy on him, shall merit mercy from Heaven".
Below this letter, is another letter of recommendation by Rabbi Feitel Falhinger Av Beit Din of Bretten, dated the 7th of Adar Sheni 1840, in which he writes of Rabbi Aryeh Leib's visit to his city and testifies to his Torah greatness and to the authorization of a carriage to travel to the Bruchsal community financed by community funds.
On the verso, are two more letters: One by Rabbi Eliyahu Hirsh Prager Av Beit Din of Bruchsal (the 10th of Adar Sheni 1840), who recommends supporting and honoring Rabbi Aryeh Leib in honor of his Torah and the Torah of his great ancestors. Like those before him, he too recommends authorizing a carriage for traveling between cities. This letter is followed by another written by Rabbi “Elya ben Rabbi Efraim” [Wilsteter] Av Beit Din of Karlsruhe, dated Monday, the Parasha of Tzav, which in that year was the 15th of Adar Sheni), which notes that Rabbi Aryeh Leib is related to the Ga’avad of our community [Rabbi Asher Wallerstein Av Beit Din of Karlsruhe, son of the author of Sha’agat Aryeh, a leading Torah scholar of his times, teacher of the author of Aruch LaNer and of Rabbi Elya Wilsteter, who wrote the approbation and succeeded him in the Karlsruhe rabbinate. In 1839, Rabbi Elya Wilsteter wrote an approbation to print the book Gevurat Ari on Tractate Ta’anit, together with Rabbi Eliyahu Hirsh Prager Av Beit Din of Bruchsal].
An important certificate which attests to the high reverence of Torah scholars in Southern-Germany communities (Baden and Bavaria districts) at that time, and to the orderly care given by German communities to the poor who arrived from Poland to collect charity.
Leaf, 20 cm. Written on both sides. Fair condition, stains, tears on margins and on folding marks. Wax stamp, and stamp on glued paper.