Letter: T-S 12.375
Letter T-S 12.375Description
Recto: Upper part of an eloquent Hebrew letter to a distinguished person. The first half consists of hyperbolic, rhyming praises for "Sar Tzeva ha-El, Rosh Yeshivat Ga'on Yisrael" including the curious phrase "I thought that in order to know, to take from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, I should go and [take it?] and learn from it, for it is the source of Life." After kissing the dust of the addressee's feet, he describes how the addressee asked him a question regarding the things that disqualify shehitah, he was too ashamed to answer him, because of his glory and because of the women with him. Now he begs leave to respond in writing and starts on a list of the factors that disqualify shehitah. Verso: There are jottings all over the page, including a crossed-out paragraph from rabbinic literature about wheat and barley, and also the name "Miryam bat Tata." ASE.