1. Tzfat 1892. 29 Cm. Signed by Rabbi Refael Zilberman & Rabbi David Babad.
2. Tzfat 1887. 20.5 Cm. Signed by Rabbi Refael Zilberman, Rabbi David Babad & Rabbi Yosef Aryeh Hakohen Zilberman.
The Gaon Rabbi Refael Zilberman (1839-1918) served as a Dayan and Rosh Av Beis Din of the Ashkenazic community in Tzfas for over 50 years. He was born in Uman, Ukraine and traveled to Eretz Yisrael in the year 1850 with his father. He was renowned for his greatness and wisdom and highly esteemed by the Turkish authorities.
The Gaon Rabbi David Babad (circa 1830-1894) was the son of the Minchas Chinuch and nephew of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. He served as Av Beis Din in Sniatyn & Probuzna, and then moved to Tzfas in 1880, where he served as a Dayan until his passing. He was buried in Tzfas near the Arizal.
Rabbi Yosef Aryeh Hakohen Zilberman (circa 1814-1891) was born to Rabbi Shlomo Mordechai Hakohen. He served as the rabbi of the city of Moinesti, Romania until 1864 when he, at the age of fifty, immigrated to the Land of Israel with his family and settled in Tzfat. After some time, the family moved to Haifa, where there was a mainly Sephardic Jewish community with several hundred residents concentrated within the walls of the ancient city.
Rabbi Zilberman attempted to establish another Jewish settlement near Haifa and founded a winery for alcohol production. After a period in Haifa, he returned to Tzfat.
After the founding of Rosh Pina, Rabbi Yosef Aryeh Hakohen was appointed as the rabbi of the settlement. Later, he was officially appointed as a non-resident rabbi with the approval of Baron Rothschild’s officials, and eventually became a permanent rabbi. He served in this position for approximately another six months until his passing.
Upon his passing, his son Rabbi Tuvye Hakohen succeeded him in his position. Another one of his sons, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Hakohen, served as the rabbi of Bacau in Romania and the Chief Rabbi of Romanian Jews in New York.
On his gravestone in the old cemetery of Rosh Pina, the following inscription can be found: "The great genius in Torah and fear of God, who loved his people and his land… Rabbi and teacher, a guiding light for the idea of Zionism in Moinesti, Tzfat, and Rosh Pina.
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Lot #279