Rav Yaakov Shaul Elyashar, the Rishon L’Tzion
Son of Rabbi Eliezer Yerucham Elyashar, born in Tzefat
Author of Yisa Berachah
One day, Rav Yaakov Shaul received the following telegram: Warsaw 13 July 1906
I am a rabbi presiding in Novominsk and I am writing to your honor on behalf of all the congregation. A few months ago, a government official named Nacziolink was murdered and two brothers named Eliezer and Noach Horowitz along with the woman, Motol, testified falsely against five non-Jews. These gentiles are innocent but because of the Jews’ hatred against the falsely accused they fabricated testimony and now these five gentiles were condemned to death. These Jews fled and they are now in Jerusalem in the home of one Yitzchok Freidman of Mezritsh. We ask your honor to help locate these people and get them to admit their crime that their testimony was false and done because of hatred against the accused. Doing so will surely save the lives of the innocent gentiles from capital punishment and save all of us Jews here from hatred and threat of violence and pogroms against us. Please contact the Russian consul in Jerusalem and he will know how to send a telegram to Warsaw. My address is Rabbi Rabinowitz, Novominsk, Warsaw.
The Rishon L’Tzion, Rav Elyashar was very surprised by this telegram and asked his secretary, Rav Chaim Michel Michelin, to try and locate the people mentioned in the letter. When they were found, they claimed that their testimony was true and the accused gentiles had, in fact, murdered the government official.
Rav Elyashar set up an urgent conference of rabbis and community leaders to discuss the events. When they had gathered and the meeting began during the discussion the Rishon L’’Tzion sat silently. Finally at the end he got up and declared that in his opinion the telegram was fabricated and that it was a setup and a trap. “Perhaps the entire telegram is a forgery. Either, the Rabbi who signed does not know what he signed, or his name is being forged on this document. Alternatively, he was forced under some threat to sign against his will. If we respond in any way, it can lead to violence and pogroms against the Jews there. In my opinion, we have two choices. Either we ignore this completely or we answer politely that in my position as Chacham Bashi under Turkish rule and law, I am in no position to interfere in the affairs of a foreign country and nation.” Not everyone agreed with the Rishon L’Tzion’s appraisal of the situation. Some agreed and others disagreed. Rav Elyashar suggested that they ask the opinion of the revered chief Ashkenazi Rav Shmuel Salant.
It was a late hour when they set out to find the rav and told him of the situation and the ensuing disagreement. However, the delegation did not tell Rav Salant about the Rishon L’Tzion’s opinion so as not to influence his decision in any way.
They were emphatic that the telegram was a fabrication and that either the Rabbi in Novominsk did not know anything about the matter or perhaps his name was forged.
“What should we do?” they asked. Rav Salant responded that either they should ignore it or they should respond that as Chacham Bashi Rav Elyashar was forbidden under Turkish rule and law to interfere in the foreign affairs of other countries. When word reached the meeting, all those gathered in the Rishon L'Tzion’s home were astounded at how both wise sages were like two prophets who prophesied equally!
They sent back the answer via telegram in the exact same manner written as both Rav Salant and Rav Elyashar had suggested (without having conferred on the matter beforehand). They confirmed that they were forbidden to interfere with another nation’s sovereignty on matters of foreign affairs.
Some weeks later the Jewish papers HaZman and HaTzefira praised the wise sages of Jerusalem from having averted disaster by ignoring the forged telegrams sent by enemies to ensnare the Jewish people. Had the rabbis of Jerusalem fallen for the trap, who knows where the matter would have ended?
Two days after these events, on 28 Tammuz ,תרס''ו Rishon L'Tzion passed away.
