Aaron b. Yehuda Leib of Lissa, Dayan (=Yoshev BeBeth Hamidrash) of London. Autograph Letter Signed, written on vellum in Hebrew in a beautiful calligraphic hand to Chief Rabbi Nathan Adler (1803-90) of London.

(ANGLO-JUDAICA).

21st Menachem (Av)

London

1859

Wedding greetings and personal blessings. Text surrounded by a colorful rope with four decorated knots at the corners.

“Now that I see your honor was impressed by the style of my handwriting and having noticed that at marriage ceremonies you read from a torn, stained book which does not fit your honor, I have taken the liberty to present you with a booklet composed in my hand from which I hope you will bless your daughter at her forthcoming wedding. Please accept my blessing that you may merit to see children and grandchildren from this union and may they all go in the righteous path.” Dayan Aaron Levy of Lissa (1798-1876) served the Beth Din of London for 45 years. This included a remarkable journey to Australia in 1830 in order to to obtain signed papers for a “get” (religious bill of divorce) from a Jewish convict whose wife was in London. He was also a talented artist, especially in the use of calligraphy. See J. Pfeffer, From One End of the Earth to the Other (2009) pp. 280-322, who discusses Aaron Levy’s talents as an artist and lists all known illuminated manuscripts by him extant. The present item is unrecorded.