Collection of Letters from German Rabbis – Regarding Laying Flowers in Honor of the Deceased – Including Letters ...

Collection of Letters from German Rabbis – Regarding Laying Flowers in Honor of the Deceased – Including Letters from Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer and Rabbi Natan Bamberger – Germany, 1882-1883
Collection of letters from German rabbis, written as a response to the question whether it is permitted to lay or plant flowers in honor of the deceased at a Jewish funeral and in Jewish cemeteries; including letters handwritten and signed by R. Samson Raphael Hirsch and R. Azriel Hildesheimer. Germany, 1882-1883. German, with some Hebrew.
These letters were written following a petition from a Jewish merchant from Heilbronn (southwest Germany) to the German authorities in 1882, requesting permission to plant flowers in the Jewish cemetery and place wreaths of flowers on caskets at funerals – two distinctly Christian practices. Mr. Wolf, a leader of the Heilbronn community, wrote letters to German rabbis asking for their opinion on the matter – whether it was permitted and suitable to adopt these practices. These letters are the responses he received from the rabbis, with their diverging views on the matter.
The letters include: • A letter handwritten and signed by R. Samson Raphael Hirsch. Frankfurt am Main, 1882. • A letter handwritten and signed by R. Azriel Hildesheimer. Berlin, Motzaei Shabbat Parashat Toldot 1882. • Two letters from R. Nathan Bamberger Rabbi of Würzburg. Würzburg, 1882. One letter is handwritten and signed by R. Bamberger, and the second is written by a scribe, with R. Bamberger's signature. • Additional letters from: R. Aryeh (Adolf) Schwarz Rabbi of Karlsruhe (author of Higayon Aryeh on Tosefta), R. Menachem (Menco) Berlinger Rabbi of Braunsbach, R. Hillel Sondheimer Rabbi of Heidelberg, R. Yosef Eschelbacher Rabbi of Bruchsal and R. Alexander Stein Rabbi of Worms.
Some of the letters were written on the verso of the letter presenting the question.
Three of the letters – those of R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, R. Azriel Hildesheimer and R. Bamberger, together with the letter presenting the question, were published in the 29th June 1899 issue of the Der Israelit newspaper.
Enclosed are several letters from Heilbronn and Stuttgart (one signed by R. Moshe Engelbert Rabbi of Heilbronn), presumably on the same topic, as well as a letter from 21st June 1899 from the editorial staff of Der Israelit addressed to Mr. Wolf, confirming receipt of these letters.
See previous item regarding R. Samson Raphael Hirsch and R. Azriel Hildesheimer.
Approx. 15 letters. Size varies. Overall good condition.