Auction 37 - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters
Halachic Responsum on the Subject of "Decree of Attire" – Rabbi Shaul Landau of Krakow
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Halachic responsum, by the Krakow Beit Din, to Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Frankel Rabbi of Przeworsk, signed by Rabbi "Shaul Landau of Krakow ". [C. 1857].
In the letter, he discusses the matter of the government decrees on changing the attire of the population, and he discusses if this is included in the prohibition of "Not following the customs of non-Jews", and if a person must give his life to refrain from changing his dress.
The "Decree of Attire" is a well-known historical affair. In circa 1846, a law was passed in Russian lands, allowing only several fixed styles of clothing, village dress, city dress, shaving beards, etc. Leading Polish rabbis of those days disagreed on this matter; whether the decree can be called a Gezerat Shmad which would halachically prohibit Jews from dressing like non-Jews (as we learn about the Jews in Egypt that did not change their dress); or, since the dress code had been decreed on all the country's population, Jews and non-Jews alike, Jews are not prohibited to heed the decree. The opinion of the Chiddushei HaRim and Rabbi Avraham of Ciechanów was that the change of dress is prohibited by Jewish law even if one has to forfeit his life to adhere to this law. This item is a halachic letter about this historic subject by one of the heads of the Beit Din in Krakow, Poland.
Rabbi Shaul Landau of Krakow (1790-1854), a holy Chassid, Mekubal and outstanding Torah genius, one of the leading rabbis of Galicia-Poland, served for 50 years as rabbi and dayan in Krakow and was held in high esteem by all the city's population. After the split in 1832, he headed the Beit Din of Chassidim in the city. He was known to be a holy person, who ate and slept little, yet was robust and on Simchat Torah he used to dance hugging two Torah scrolls while prancing around like a light bird. Written on his tombstone is "Master of thousands and great among the Jews".
The recipient of the letter is Rabbi Avraham Ze'ev Wolf Frankel (1780-1849), Av Beit Din of Przeworsk, and one of the leading rabbis of Rzeszów. A disciple of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rubin Av Beit Din of Lesko (Linsk) ( father of Rabbi Naftali of Ropczyce). Chassid and close to the Chozeh of Lublin, Rabbi Shalom of Belz and Rabbi Zvi Hirsh of Rymanów.
2 pages, approximately 22.5 cm. closely written (approximately 68 lines). Good condition.
In the letter, he discusses the matter of the government decrees on changing the attire of the population, and he discusses if this is included in the prohibition of "Not following the customs of non-Jews", and if a person must give his life to refrain from changing his dress.
The "Decree of Attire" is a well-known historical affair. In circa 1846, a law was passed in Russian lands, allowing only several fixed styles of clothing, village dress, city dress, shaving beards, etc. Leading Polish rabbis of those days disagreed on this matter; whether the decree can be called a Gezerat Shmad which would halachically prohibit Jews from dressing like non-Jews (as we learn about the Jews in Egypt that did not change their dress); or, since the dress code had been decreed on all the country's population, Jews and non-Jews alike, Jews are not prohibited to heed the decree. The opinion of the Chiddushei HaRim and Rabbi Avraham of Ciechanów was that the change of dress is prohibited by Jewish law even if one has to forfeit his life to adhere to this law. This item is a halachic letter about this historic subject by one of the heads of the Beit Din in Krakow, Poland.
Rabbi Shaul Landau of Krakow (1790-1854), a holy Chassid, Mekubal and outstanding Torah genius, one of the leading rabbis of Galicia-Poland, served for 50 years as rabbi and dayan in Krakow and was held in high esteem by all the city's population. After the split in 1832, he headed the Beit Din of Chassidim in the city. He was known to be a holy person, who ate and slept little, yet was robust and on Simchat Torah he used to dance hugging two Torah scrolls while prancing around like a light bird. Written on his tombstone is "Master of thousands and great among the Jews".
The recipient of the letter is Rabbi Avraham Ze'ev Wolf Frankel (1780-1849), Av Beit Din of Przeworsk, and one of the leading rabbis of Rzeszów. A disciple of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rubin Av Beit Din of Lesko (Linsk) ( father of Rabbi Naftali of Ropczyce). Chassid and close to the Chozeh of Lublin, Rabbi Shalom of Belz and Rabbi Zvi Hirsh of Rymanów.
2 pages, approximately 22.5 cm. closely written (approximately 68 lines). Good condition.
Letters
Letters