Bidspirit auction | ”We were Shocked to Hear

”We were Shocked to Hear about the Chilul Shabbat in the Country” Letters about the Affair of Chilul Shabbat during the Citrus Harvest Signed by the Chief Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael and Tel Aviv - Jerusalem, 1938 - Polemic - two letters about a meeting at the Rabbinate office - about Citrus harvest on Sabbath - hand-signed by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog and the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Meir, the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Avigdor and the Gaon Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel - Jerusalem, 1938.  The letters were sent in Tevet, the time when the orange and citrus harvest reaches its peak, Citrus harvest being the industry that accounted for a significant portion of the export from the renewing Eretz Yisrael. Apparently, due to the heavy workload of the harvest season, the Moshavot and Kibbutzim took the liberty of utilizing the Sabbath for routine labor, resulting in a disgraceful Chilul Shabbat. These are two letters calling for an urgent meeting on the subject:  1. Letter by the Chief Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael. In their letter, the Chief Rabbis write: ”We were shocked to hear about the Chilul Shabbat in the country in regard with the harvest and we hearby invite you... to consult how to put an end to this scandal... ”. Jerusalem, 1938.  The letter is signed by the two Chief Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael:  ~ The Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog, previously Av Beit Din of Ireland and later, the Chief Rabbi of Erezt Yisrael.  ~ The Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Meir, the Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael.  Official stationery of the Chief Rabbinate.  21X30 cm.  Filing perforations. Good condition.  2. Letter by the Chief Rabbis of Tel Aviv - ”For the onset of the Citrus harvest season, and since there are reports that in several Moshavot the affliction has spread of harvesting on Sabbath, we have found it necessary to gather a meeting... to find a way to remove this disgrace from the community of our farmers...” - Tel Aviv, 1938.  The letter is signed by the Chief Rabbis of Tel Aviv:  ~The Gaon Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel, the cHief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and previously Rav of Antwerp and author of the book Drashot El Ami.  ~ The Gaon Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel, the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and the future Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, author of Shut Mishpatei Uziel.  Official stationery of the Chief Rabbinate of Tel Aviv. 22X29 cm. Filing perforations. Good condition.