Bidspirit auction | Historical Letter Signed by the 

Historical Letter Signed by the  Rashash  1774 * A letter signed by the Rashash alongside other Rabbis of Jerusalem (see below), appealing for help due to the particular dire situation prevailing in Jerusalem. In this letter the Rabbis of Jerusalem—headed by the Rashash—appoint the Baal Shem Tov’s nephew, Rabbi Yakar son of Rabbi Avraham Gershon of Kitov, along with two other emissaries, to rescue the community, which was in unbearable distress due to the war between Russia and Turkey. Signatures of the Rashash on letters of emissaries are exceedingly rare, but due to the tremendous importance of this mission, which constituted pikuach nefesh and the last lifeline for the community standing on the brink of collapse, he added his signature. The Kabbalist Rabbi Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi (d. 1777), widely known as the Rashash, was said to have possessed a spark of the soul of the Arizal and descended to the world to illuminate and clarify his teachings. The Rashash was the greatest commentator and interpreter of the Arizal’s legacy, and with his genius and clarity, presented the Arizal’s kavanos clearly. A native of Yemen, the Rashash journeyed to the Holy Land and settled in Jerusalem. During his early years there, he concealed his greatness in Kabbalah. Still, once his brilliance and righteousness became known, his spiritual master, Rabbi Gedalya Chayun, left instructions that he should succeed him as Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Beis El, the famed beis medrash of Kabbalists in Jerusalem. The Rashash’s disciples include Kabbalah giants such as the Chida, Maharit Algazi, Rabbi Avraham Gershon of Kitov (brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov), and Rabbi Chaim de la Roza, among others. List of signatures: Rabbi Raphael Tzemach ben Shimon (d. 1780) , one of the Kabbalists of Beis El and Rosh Yeshivah of Chesed LeAvraham and Binyan Shlomo, his signature appears on rulings, enactments, and letters. Rabbi Nissim Shmuel Eliyahu Bechor Meyuchas,   one of the Sages of Jerusalem, son of the Rishon LeZion Rabbi Meyuchas Bechor Shmuel, author of Pri HaAdamah. He signed several letters of emissaries, went out as an emissary on behalf of Jerusalem, and passed away in Izmir in 1782. Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Meyuchas,   son of the Rishon LeZion Rabbi Meyuchas Bechor Shmuel, author of Pri HaAdamah, and son-in-law of the Maharit Algazi, author of Sha'ar HaMayim, Birkas Mayim, and others. He served as Rishon LeZion after his father-in-law’s passing until his own passing in 1806. Rabbi Shalom Mizrachi Didia Sharabi,   the Holy Rashash (see above). Rabbi Shmuel Mimran,  signed together with the Maharit Algazi on the sefer Derech Yesharah and on various letters of emissaries. Rabbi Mantsur Marzuk,   one of the great Sages of Jerusalem, author of the important sefarim Tzur Te’udah, Korban Elitzur, and Ben Pedatzur. He passed away in 1789. Rabbi Chaim Nissim HaKohen (d. 1782), one of the Sages of Jerusalem. He signed the enactment concerning inheritances in 1777 in Sefer HaTakanos. Three Emissaries at Once The years 1770–1773 were extremely difficult for the residents of Jerusalem. The war between the Russians and the Turks raged in full force, compounded by internal rebellions following the invasion of the armies of Ali Bey, governor of Egypt, who rebelled against the Turks and joined his ally, Daher el-Omar, the rebel sheikh who ruled the Galilee, to wage war against the Ottoman Pasha of Damascus. Jerusalem was nearly closed off, and with the weakening of central authority, Arab creditors rose up forcefully to demand repayment of old debts. Due to the intolerable situation, which reached the point of pikuach nefesh, the Sages of Jerusalem decided upon an extraordinary step: to send three emissaries simultaneously to seek the aid of the Jews of Europe. (See: Yaari, Shluchei Eretz Yisrael, p. 540). The three emissaries were: 1. Rabbi Yakar Gershon:  son of Rabbi Avraham Gershon of Kitov, brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Yakar was a disciple of Rabbi Yehudah Navon, author of Kiryas Melech Rav, son of the Machaneh Ephraim, and after his father’s passing was regarded as one of the great figures of the Ashkenazi community. He passed away in 1779 and was buried on the Mount of Olives, at the foot of his father’s grave. 2. Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Burla:  Av Beis Din of Jerusalem in the time of the Maharit Algazi, author of Shu”t Mekor Yisrael (Jerusalem, 1882). He passed away in 1797. 3. Rabbi Eliyahu Tzvi:  member of the Beis Din of the Maharit Algazi. His signature appears on enactments, approbations, and letters of the Rabbanim of Jerusalem. He appears as the second signatory after the Maharit Algazi in the approbation to the sefer VeChashav Lo HaKohen by Rabbi Avraham of Lask. Jerusalem, 1774. Size of leaf: 21 × 33 cm. Beautiful writing of a scribe, with handwritten signatures of aforementioned Rabbanim, in good condition. Bibliography: Shluchei Eretz Yisrael, pp. 540–543; Moriah, Tammuz 2001 (vols.