“El Harei HaMor Gva’ot HaLevona” – Appeal to the generous public to support the Lublin congregation experiencing difficulty and distress due to the war between Sweden and Poland. Lublin, [1708].
Sheet of paper, impressive calligraphic writing in Ashkenazi handwriting. Appeal to generous public in various places, written in poetic style. Opens with words of praise for the Lublin congregation “Large and important Jewish city since the day of its establishment… from where teaching of Torah has spread to all of Israel… “, followed by lengthy detailing of hardships which the congregation underwent as a result of the war: captivity, massacre and plundering, burden of heavy taxes and debts of the congregation which resulted in a difficult financial situation.
“If we were to spend all the days writing it would not suffice to describe all the trouble and distress… the destruction of our homeland and the unusual deaths… and therefore we must do all that is within our power to bury the martyrs who gave up their lives… the debtors … to take our lives…”. As well, the community’s decision to send out two people to raise funds for the congregation is mentioned. The two people chosen were Rabbi Feivel son of Rabbi Yosef Av Beit Din of Shidlovtza, and Rabbi Leib son of Rabbi Ya’akov of Nikolsburg.
On reverse side of leaf three copies of letters of recommendation in favor of the Lublin community (in same handwriting), by the Ga’on Rabbi Naftali Katz Av Beit Din of Frankfurt am Main [author of "Semichat Chachamim], the Ga’on Rabbi Tzvi Ashkenazi Av Beit Din of Amsterdam [the "Chacham Tzvi"], and the Ga’on Rabbi Gavriel [Eskeles] Av Beit Din of Nikolsburg.
Exceptionally unique historical document relating the history of the Lublin community during the early 18th century.
21 cm. Good-fair condition. Folding marks, reinforced with scotch tape. Ownership notations.