A special recommendation letter by Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Willowski, the RIDBAZ concerning Rabbi Chaim Sethon Rabbi of ...

A special recommendation letter by Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Willowski, the RIDBAZ concerning Rabbi Chaim Sethon Rabbi of Tzfat

Warm recommendation letter by the famous Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Willowski, the RIDBAZ Rabbi of Tzfat on behalf of Rebetzin Sethon the wife of his colleague Rabbi Chaim Sethon the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Tzfat.

Rebbetzin Sathon traveled to Vienna to seek medical treatment, addressed to the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Baumgarten Dayan of Vienna.

On his official letterhead, stuck to another paper on the back for preservation.

The noted Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Willowski, known by the acronym RIDBAZ (1845-1913), was one of the greatest Talmidei Chachomim and Rabbinical leaders of his era. He served as Rabbi of various important communities in Lithuania including Izballin, Bobruisk, Vilna, Vilkomir and Slutzk.

In 1903, he immigrated to the United States serving initially as a Rav in New York and later in Chicago. His tenure in America was tumultuous, and he suffered greatly from boorish, uncouth individuals, particularly those who resisted his heroic efforts to improve the kashrus of the meat industry. Eventually he immigrated to Eretz Yisroel settling in Tzfas. His many works include his Nimukei Ridvaz, and a commentary on the entire Talmud Yerushalmi.

Rabbi Cham Sethon  was one of the rabbis of the city of Safed , and for a time served as the city's chief rabbi. Author of the book 'Eretz Chaim' regarding the customs of the Land of Israel.

He was born in Safed to Rabbi Menashe Sethon , former rabbi of Aleppo . His father married a woman of Ashkenazi descent in Safed, after he was widowed by his first wife, and from this marriage Rabbi Chaim was born. After being orphaned by his father at the age of only five, his mother married Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Salitzer, and educated him according to her spirit and aspirations, according to the Ashkenazi custom. He studied in the yeshivot of the Ashkenazi rabbis. After that he continued to study in the company of the Sephardic rabbis.

In 1902 she was appointed Chief Rabbi in Safed .

Author of a Sefer of customs on the customs of the Land of Israel called 'Eretz Chaim'. The Sefer is a collection of laws and customs related to the land from a wide variety of arbitrators, collected and edited by Sethon. The book includes the consents of the rabbis Rabbi Yaakov Shaul Elishar , Rabbi Yitzchak Moshe Abulafia , the Ridavaz , Rabbi Chaim Berlin and Rabbi Eliyahu Bechor Hazan. He finished writing the Sefer on his 35th birthday and three years later was brought to print.

The Gaon Rabbi Yosef Baumgarten, Dayan & later Av Beit Din of the Schiff Shul of Vienna, was born in 1864 in Helishoya, and was a student of the Chatam Sofer. He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Stern of Szerdahely. Published articles in 'Tel Talpiot', died in 1933.