ANGLO JUDAICA – RABBI SHLOMO [SOLOMON] HIRSCHEL (1761-1842) –...

ANGLO JUDAICA – RABBI SHLOMO [SOLOMON] HIRSCHEL (1761-1842) – CHIEF RABBI OF ENGLAND, RARE SIGNED ENGLISH LETTER TO SIR FRANCIS FREELING (1764–1836) - GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE POST OFFICE IN LONDON, requesting an arrangement allowing him to reject large quantities of unwanted mail sent to him.

Correspondence of Chief Rabbi Hirschel is scarce, and we are not aware of any other English letter at public auction in recent years.

[6 July 1819 – date written in pencil on reverse]. Letter apparently written by a secretary, but signed in English by the Chief Rabbi ‘Salomon Hirschel’.

Rabbi Shlomo Hirschel, was a son of the famous Rabbi Hirsch Berlin, Rabbi of London and Berlin - a grandson of the Chacham Tzvi and descendant of the famous Rabbi Yehoshua Heshel of Krakow. In addition to his great rabbinical ancestry, he was highly regarded by the leading rabbis of his generation, with whom he was in correspondence, and was a mechutan of Rabbi Akiva Eger. He had served as Rabbi of Prenzlau, Prussia, before being appointed to succeed Rabbi David Tevelle Schiff as Chief Rabbi in London, a position he held for forty years.

Sir Francis Freeling was Secretary of HM General Post Office. He started work in the Bristol Post Office and in 1785 was promoted to a post in London to develop the service, and became General Secretary of the Post Office in 1798.

[3] sides, 22x18.5cm, Excellent condition.