Document with an Addition Handwritten and Signed by Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wax of Kalisz Author of "Nefesh Chaya" - Who ...

Document with an Addition Handwritten and Signed by Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wax of Kalisz Author of "Nefesh Chaya" - Who was an Enthusiastic Supporter of the Settlement of the Holy Land - Written During a Short Visit to Jerusalem - 1886
A letter of recommendation by the rabbis of Jerusalem, with an addition and signature handwritten by the "Nefesh Chaya", Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wax of Kalisz, from the time he visited Jerusalem in the summer of 1886. Similar documents with the signature of Rabbi of Kalisz from the time of his visit to the Land of Israel have never been seen in auctions. The Rabbi of Kalisz was known for his love of the Land of Israel and his support of the settlement of the Holy land, thus the importance of the signature before us.

The content of the recommendation
A letter of recommendation by the Dayanim of Jerusalem regarding the "Tzikeri" (sugar syrup) made by the woman, Mrs. Simka, the widow of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Perlman of Kalisz (a disciple of the "Imrei Binah" and author of the "Yad Eliyahu" series). The 10th of Elul (21.8) 1885.
The woman is the daughter of Rabbi Ben Zion Shlez (died in 1895), the son-in-law of Rabbi Shabtai Yaffe Av Beit Din of Wieksznie.
The rabbis praise the woman's enterprise, "who learned how to make the Tzikeri in Warsaw … and famous well-known expert physicians wrote that the Tzikeri … is good and sweet". The rabbis add: "it is befitting to rely on the aforementioned woman since she is a pious woman of the important family … of the great genius… Rabbi Shabtai Yaffe".
The recommendation is signed by the Dayanim: Rabbi Binyamin ben Rabbi Shmuel (1810-1893), author of "She'erit Binyamin, Av Beit Din of Stowbtsy, immigrated to Jerusalem in 1872), Rabbi Binyamin David Wilner and Rabbi Wolf. Stamp of the Badatz De'Kahal Ashkenazim in Jerusalem.
Under their signatures, an addition of three lines handwritten and signed by Rabbi Ya'akov Yehuda Leib Levi (1813-1889) confirming the signatures of the Dayanim and adding his recommendation to "pity the poor widow". The 11th of Tamuz 1886. His stamp. Rabbi Levi was an extraordinary and righteous genius and Kabbalist, proficient in revealed and esoteric realms of Torah. Served as rabbi in Sleshin. Immigrated to Jerusalem together with his two brothers, Rabbi Asher Lemel Av Beit Din of Galin and Rabbi Nachum Av Beit Din of Shadik. Served as Rosh Av Beit Din of Jerusalem for over forty years.
At the bottom of the leaf, the handwriting of Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wax, Av Beit Din of Pietrokov, author of "Nefesh Chaya": "I too sign this document today the sixth of Tamuz 5646 Jerusalem" and his handwritten signature.
On the reverse side of the leaf, the recommendation of the Sephardic Badatz from Tamuz 1885 had been copied. The precise copying is attested to (Elul 1885) by Rabbi Avraham Aharon ben Rabbi Dovber Segal Levi and Rabbi David Segal Hamburger.

Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wax of Kalisz
Chaim Elozor Wax (1822-1889) was a well-known Hasidic rabbi, Posek, and a Jewish leader in Poland. He was a philanthropist and accomplished student of the Talmud.
He is especially known from his responsa work Nefesh Chaya, and as the president of Kupat Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes Kollel Polin, Warsaw region.
Rabbi Wax was a committed follower of Rabbi Eliyahu Gutmacher of Grodzisk, and supported the idea of colonization and settlement of the holy land. He purchased land in Kefar Chitin near Tiberius and planted Etrogim orchards, his intention being to bring families to the place to work the land and grow kosher Etrogim. The "Nefesh Chaya" believed that these orchards will provide an economic basis for the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel. He called the Jews of the Diaspora to buy the Etrogim of the Land of Israel in order to support the Jewish settlers. Rabbi Wax had a close relationship with Sir Moshe Montefiore, which also helped the Jewish settlers in the Land of Israel.
His desire had always been to settle in the Land of Israel or at least visit it. And indeed, in 1886, he visited the country with his father-in-law Rabbi Yehoshua of Kutna. The goals of his visit, among others, were to supervise the Etrogim orchards in the Galilee and see to accommodation and employment for the members of "Kollel Warsaw" who had immigrated to the Land of Israel. When Rabbi Wax and his father-in-law arrived in Jerusalem they were received like kings. All the citizens of Jerusalem, headed by the rabbi of Jerusalem Rabbi Shmuel Salant, came to greet them and led them under a canopy to their lodgings. They stayed in Israel for a month, touring it from north to south.

Condition: Good (after professional restoration). Stains and wear. Folding marks.
28x20 cm. folded leaf.