Manuscript in the Holy hand of Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi, Av Beit Din of Konstantinograd – son of Rabbi Yaakov Emden. ...

Manuscript in the Holy hand of Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi, Av Beit Din of Konstantinograd – son of Rabbi Yaakov Emden. The Holy Besh''t called him 'Aron Hakodesh'.

Divrei Torah on Parshat Behaalotecha. Fully in the Holy hand of the Gaon Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi Av Beit Din of Konstantingrad.

6 written sides, 20 X 16.5 Cm.

The Holy Gaon Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi Av Beit Din of Konstantingrad (today, Starokostyantyniv, ) (1717-1798) - eldest son of the Ya'avetz, born in Brody in 1717 and raised by his father who showered him with his Torah knowledge, wisdom and Yirat Shamayim (fear of Heaven). In his Sefer Megillat Sefer, his father attested that he had "a fine, very quick swift mind". In 1737, he married the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Parness of Lissa [who was also father-in-law of Rabbi Shlomo Av Beit Din of Chelm, author of Merkevet HaMishne on the Rambam].

From c. 1743, he served as Av Beit Din of Konstantinograd (in the Poltava- Volyně region), and remained in that capacity for more than 40 years. He was a prominent Torah figure in the Volyně region and questions from all over the country were sent to him.

His correspondence with the Ba'al Shem Tov and with his brother-in-law Rabbi Gershon of Kuty, who turned to him with a query which arose in the city of Medzhibozh is well-known (see Mayim Chaim Yoreh De'ah Siman 27, in which he responds to the Ba'al Shem Tov in flowery reverent language praising the wonders he performed and lauding his group of holy disciples.

His approbations appear in various Seforim, including the Meir Netivim - Or Olam" by a disciple of the Ba'al Shem Tov, Rabbi Meir Margaliot. He and the Ba'al Shem Tov and his disciples mutually respected and revered one another. When the Ba'al Shem Tov visited Konstantinograd, he visited the rabbi in his home and declared that "he was going to meet the Aron HaKodesh".

Initially, Rabbi Meir was opposed to the Ba'al Shem Tov but after an occurrence he became one his foremost admirers as is apparent in the letter cited above. Extraordinary stories are told about him in Chassidic sources, such as a revelation of Eliyahu the Prophet and the fear of the leading disciples of the Ba'al Shem tov in the presence of the awesome holiness of his sou.