Letter to Modena

He shall be called a holy man [see Isaiah 4:3]; the light of mitzvot and Torah shall shine for him; he who is constantly studying Torah; the lion of the group [see, e.g., b. Shabbat 111b]; candle of illumination [see b. Ketubbot 17a]; with a crown of fine gold; our elect, the desire of our souls; the perfect scholar in all perfections; the image and likeness of God; his honor, our teacher and master, R. Aaron Berekhiah ben Moses, may God protect him, from Modena; may there be peace within his walls [see Psalms 122:7]; and in his Sanctuary all say: Glory (Psalms 29:9); may God above reward him with grace and honor forever; Amen, so may it be God’s will.

After those fitting salutations and prostrations for the lofty one, we write these words in order to give praise and thanks and to further encourage the honorable sage’s grace and compassion, for all his faithful acts of kindness by which he performed wonders for the poor members of our community. We also thank him for his efforts and the great assistance he gave the excellent, humble scholar, our teacher and master, R. Joseph ḥayim, may God protect him, our messenger. As the master was his guide for the help of the Lord against the mighty (Judges 5:23), with all his strength and the force of the mysteries of his broad wisdom. Our messenger, the aforementioned scholar, wrote as much to us, ceaselessly praising the master; he would not stop talking about his virtues and his teachings. May he receive a fine reward from heaven for his efforts and actions, and charitable works, from his God, the glorious God, many times over in this world and the world to come, a reward of sons and ample sustenance, as befitting his compassionate soul, which is filled with knowledge and the fear of God; Amen, so may it be His will.

Likewise, we bow before the admirable gentleman and scholar, our teacher and master, R. David Da‘ina, may God protect him, and the fine brothers, let them not be separated, the sons of Ozilio Fiorentini, may the Lord guard them, and offer a greeting of peace and our congratulations to their honors for all that they have wrought for the poor of our community through the fruits of their charitable contributions and the donations they consecrated to God, the first fruit of their produce [see Jeremiah 2:3]. May their reward be complete from the Lord [see Ruth 2:4], the God of recompenses [see Jeremiah 51:56]; may they live forever before the Lord; appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve them [see Psalms 61:8]; Amen, forever, Selah.

And now, O mountains of Israel [see Ezekiel 36:8], we have come to beseech the master and those other perfect ones, that they should watch over and perform kindness for our congregation, which is called after their holy name. For in its sins, its honor and splendor have deteriorated until it has fallen down to the dust. This is due to the onset of various troubles and mishaps that have befallen us, especially the weight of the taxes and debts with which we have become entangled, and in which we are drowning. For the knower of mysteries, may His name be blessed, would attest that the current debt upon our community is close to eight hundred groschen. Every year we are forced to take out a loan at interest, which we must repay at a hefty price. This is because the tax of the king, may he be exalted, is fixed at five groschen a head, and the total imposed on each congregation corresponds to the number of its men. In our sins, not even one member of our community can afford the full sum of this royal tax. The best we can hope for is that the well-off give three groschen, while we must pay the outstanding sum from the community chest, and thus we have to borrow money from the gentiles, at our expense.

The same applies to all the rest of the taxes, and therefore we are completely unable to remove the overwhelming debts. On the contrary, they are increasing all the time—would that all the charitable donations sent to us from our worthy brethren in Italy be sufficient for our other communal expenses! We require at least two groschen on a weekly basis for the charity box for the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the humble men and women of our community. This is apart from the meat, wine, unleavened bread, ḥaroset, and other extras on festivals, as well as the expenses of visiting the sick, and helping marrying off orphan girls, who have no means of support to encourage men of their age to marry them, and are therefore left single and lonely, hidden away in their homes. There are also the costs of the upkeep to our synagogue building and many other such expenses.

We are concerned that if, God forbid, our brothers turn their compassionate eye away from the plight of our congregation—which is called after their name—for a single year, our doors would have to close, God forbid, and the gates of our house of prayer would be locked. None would enter, and it would cease to exist, even though it is a large community of standing in Israel.

Therefore, for the sake of the Holy One of Israel, may the master, together with the group of gentlemen mentioned above, look upon this holy temple, its affairs and orphans and widows, with a merciful, compassionate, and kindly glance, each and every year, in order to raise the banner of our congregation, just as the holy communities of Ashkenaz, Portugal, and Provence each do for their own community and affairs. We too can survive through the charity of our brothers in exile. We have placed the burden of this mitzvah upon the master, together with the fine gentleman, R. Moses Malakh, may God protect him, to collect everything that people have donated and contributed for our congregation, in your city and the surrounding area, as we have written to your community. Please perform this great mitzvah, for you are our messengers, and send it all in an organized manner, with the help of God. We do not know what else we can do, other than bless your holy names in the Mi she-berakh prayer¹ on Sabbaths, festivals, and the day of the awesome fast [Yom Kippur], before the sanctuary of God in a loud voice, and all the people will answer Amen, as has been our custom throughout the years. We will also pray for your honor’s welfare; may you be healthy and thrive forever. Our eyes are toward heaven—may you always grow and establish peace and joy through the strength of your crown. May you rise ever higher, and always merit to perform many mitzvot and charitable acts in Israel, and may you receive your fine reward from heaven, as befitting your pure soul, like the pious in heaven [see Jeremiah 8:7], and like the souls of those who have faith in your affection.

Signed by the Italian congregation, may God protect it, here in Safed, may it be speedily rebuilt in our days, in accordance with the verse: that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God give to you (Exodus 20:11), in 5370 [1610]. And let the master [mar], who is myrrh [mor] and frankincense (Song of Songs 3:6), know that we marked in his honor the Sabbath of Repentance, the Sabbath during the Days of Awe, by lighting candles in his synagogue, which is called by his name. May the master always merit to perform mitzvot in accordance with the goodness he has received from God, and may his light shine with the light of life, like the light of his pure soul; Amen, forever, Selah.