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Tzvi Ashkenazi
Tzvi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenazi (Hebrew: צבי אשכנזי; 1656 – 2 May 1718), known as the Hakham Tzvi after his responsa by the same title, served for some time as rabbi of Amsterdam. He was a resolute opponent of the followers of the self-proclaimed messiah, Sabbatai Zevi. He had a chequered career due to his independence of character. He visited many lands, including England, where he wielded much influence. His responsa are held in high esteem.
Ashkenazi was born in 1656 in Habsburg Moravia, most likely in Gross Meseritsch (now Velké Meziříčí) where his father, Jacob Wilner, was active. He was descended from a well-known family of scholars, a grandson of Ephraim ha-Kohen who in turn was the son-in-law of a grandchild of Elijah Ba'al Shem of Chelm. He spent most his childhood in Alt-Ofen (now Óbuda, Budapest) where his grandfather served as rabbi. Tutored by his father and grandfather, he later went to Thessaloniki, where he attended the school of Eliyahu Kovo and devoted himself to an investigation of the Sephardi methods of study. He also witnessed the impact of the Sabbatean movement on the community, an experience which significantly influenced his career. Upon his return journey, he seems to have stayed some time, probably until 1679, in Istanbul, where his learning and astuteness made such an impression he became known by the Sephardic title Hakham "rabbi", an honorific he retained throughout his life. Shortly after his return to Alt-Ofen, he married into a prominent and wealthy local family.
In 1686, Alt-Ofen was invaded by the Austrian army, and a cannon-shot killed Ashkenazi's young wife and his daughter. He fled, becoming separated from his parents, who were taken captive by the Prussian army of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, and proceeded to Ottoman Bosnia, where he received an appointment as rabbi in Sarajevo. He remained in that city until 1689, when he resigned because of contention with his congregation and left for Germany. In Berlin, he married Sarah (died at Lemberg 23 January 1719), the daughter of Meshullam Zalman Mirels Neumark, chief rabbi of Altona, Hamburg, and Wandsbek.
On his father-in-law's advice, he went in 1690 to Altona, where leading congregation members founded a Kloyz and installed Ashkenazi as rabbi. This Kloyz became celebrated, and pupils assembled from all parts to hear him. His income as a rabbi of the Kloyz was only 60 thalers annually, so he was compelled to defray his living expenses by engaging in various business pursuits (e.g. dealing in jewelry). After the death of his father-in-law, whom Ashkenazi had latterly aided in his official duties, one party in the Jewish community wished to have Ashkenazi installed as rabbi of the three congregations (the unity known as AH"U), while another party favored the election of Moses ben Alexander Rothenburg. Finally, it was decided that both candidates should serve alternately, each for six months. Friction and strife over religious questions ensued, and finally became so intense that, in 1709, Ashkenazi deemed it advisable to resign and resume his duties as the rabbi of the Kloyz.
Less than a year later, on 10 January 1710, Tsvi received a letter of appointment to the chief rabbinate of the Ashkenazi congregation of Amsterdam. In addition to free residence, the office had a yearly salary of 2,500 Dutch guilders. This was a large sum, since fifty years later, 375 guilders was the usual salary of the chief rabbi of Berlin. Unselfish and independent by nature, Ashkenazi renounced the perquisites of his office, such as fees in civil suits, to maintain his independence, and accepted the high position only upon the condition that under no circumstances was he to be required to subordinate himself to the congregation, or to be obliged to receive gifts, and that he should be permitted to preserve absolute freedom of action on all occasions.
Tsvi encountered a hostile party in Amsterdam, the principal leader of which was Aaron Polak Gokkes. Indeed, the difficulties with the directors became so serious that on 26 May 1712, it was decided to dismiss the chief rabbi at the end of his three-year term mentioned in his appointment letter. Ashkenazi announced that he would not, under any circumstances, accept this dismissal, which he regarded as unjust. Serious difficulties arose. The rabbi's salary does not seem to have been paid, for in the register of the records of the congregation it is stated that on Saturday 4 Nisan 5472 (12 April 1712), the parnasim sent a secretary and two attendants of the congregation to Ashkenazi to inform the latter that upon the return of the letter of appointment, he would be paid the money to which he was still entitled. Ashkenazi declined to return this piece of evidence, a copy of which has been preserved among the official documents of the congregation.
On 30 June 1713, Nehemiah Hayyun arrived in Amsterdam and requested permission from the Portuguese congregation to circulate his writings, which had been published in Berlin. Ashkenazi thought Hayyun was an old enemy of his from Sarajevo and Salonica, and at once requested Solomon Ayllon, Hakham of the Portuguese congregation, not to accord patronage to the stranger, who was unfavorably known to him. Ashkenazi believed himself justified in making this demand, as the Portuguese congregation and its rabbi had, from the beginning, treated him most courteously, and had already, during his term at Altona, repeatedly sent to him from the Sephardim of Hamburg, Amsterdam, and London religio-legal questions for his decision. Hayyun called on Ashkenazi personally and made an explanation, but Tsvi retracted his accusation, stating that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Meanwhile, several members of the Portuguese congregation had submitted Hayyun's writings to the judgment of Moses Hagiz, a messenger from Jerusalem then sojourning at Amsterdam, who immediately discovered their Sabbatian principles and tendencies and gave the alarm. He also called the attention of Ashkenazi to the dangerous doctrines published in Hayyun's book, whereupon the rabbi again warned the directorate of the Sephardim congregation not to support the author. Ashkenazi rejected a proposition to designate the objectionable passages and declined to act as a member of a committee of investigation because he did not regard Ayllon, the rabbi of the Sephardim, as a competent authority on such questions. A fierce contention ensued, during the progress of which Hagiz fought valiantly beside Ashkenazi.
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Tzvi Ashkenazi
Tzvi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenazi (Hebrew: צבי אשכנזי; 1656 – 2 May 1718), known as the Hakham Tzvi after his responsa by the same title, served for some time as rabbi of Amsterdam. He was a resolute opponent of the followers of the self-proclaimed messiah, Sabbatai Zevi. He had a chequered career due to his independence of character. He visited many lands, including England, where he wielded much influence. His responsa are held in high esteem.
Ashkenazi was born in 1656 in Habsburg Moravia, most likely in Gross Meseritsch (now Velké Meziříčí) where his father, Jacob Wilner, was active. He was descended from a well-known family of scholars, a grandson of Ephraim ha-Kohen who in turn was the son-in-law of a grandchild of Elijah Ba'al Shem of Chelm. He spent most his childhood in Alt-Ofen (now Óbuda, Budapest) where his grandfather served as rabbi. Tutored by his father and grandfather, he later went to Thessaloniki, where he attended the school of Eliyahu Kovo and devoted himself to an investigation of the Sephardi methods of study. He also witnessed the impact of the Sabbatean movement on the community, an experience which significantly influenced his career. Upon his return journey, he seems to have stayed some time, probably until 1679, in Istanbul, where his learning and astuteness made such an impression he became known by the Sephardic title Hakham "rabbi", an honorific he retained throughout his life. Shortly after his return to Alt-Ofen, he married into a prominent and wealthy local family.
In 1686, Alt-Ofen was invaded by the Austrian army, and a cannon-shot killed Ashkenazi's young wife and his daughter. He fled, becoming separated from his parents, who were taken captive by the Prussian army of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, and proceeded to Ottoman Bosnia, where he received an appointment as rabbi in Sarajevo. He remained in that city until 1689, when he resigned because of contention with his congregation and left for Germany. In Berlin, he married Sarah (died at Lemberg 23 January 1719), the daughter of Meshullam Zalman Mirels Neumark, chief rabbi of Altona, Hamburg, and Wandsbek.
On his father-in-law's advice, he went in 1690 to Altona, where leading congregation members founded a Kloyz and installed Ashkenazi as rabbi. This Kloyz became celebrated, and pupils assembled from all parts to hear him. His income as a rabbi of the Kloyz was only 60 thalers annually, so he was compelled to defray his living expenses by engaging in various business pursuits (e.g. dealing in jewelry). After the death of his father-in-law, whom Ashkenazi had latterly aided in his official duties, one party in the Jewish community wished to have Ashkenazi installed as rabbi of the three congregations (the unity known as AH"U), while another party favored the election of Moses ben Alexander Rothenburg. Finally, it was decided that both candidates should serve alternately, each for six months. Friction and strife over religious questions ensued, and finally became so intense that, in 1709, Ashkenazi deemed it advisable to resign and resume his duties as the rabbi of the Kloyz.
Less than a year later, on 10 January 1710, Tsvi received a letter of appointment to the chief rabbinate of the Ashkenazi congregation of Amsterdam. In addition to free residence, the office had a yearly salary of 2,500 Dutch guilders. This was a large sum, since fifty years later, 375 guilders was the usual salary of the chief rabbi of Berlin. Unselfish and independent by nature, Ashkenazi renounced the perquisites of his office, such as fees in civil suits, to maintain his independence, and accepted the high position only upon the condition that under no circumstances was he to be required to subordinate himself to the congregation, or to be obliged to receive gifts, and that he should be permitted to preserve absolute freedom of action on all occasions.
Tsvi encountered a hostile party in Amsterdam, the principal leader of which was Aaron Polak Gokkes. Indeed, the difficulties with the directors became so serious that on 26 May 1712, it was decided to dismiss the chief rabbi at the end of his three-year term mentioned in his appointment letter. Ashkenazi announced that he would not, under any circumstances, accept this dismissal, which he regarded as unjust. Serious difficulties arose. The rabbi's salary does not seem to have been paid, for in the register of the records of the congregation it is stated that on Saturday 4 Nisan 5472 (12 April 1712), the parnasim sent a secretary and two attendants of the congregation to Ashkenazi to inform the latter that upon the return of the letter of appointment, he would be paid the money to which he was still entitled. Ashkenazi declined to return this piece of evidence, a copy of which has been preserved among the official documents of the congregation.
On 30 June 1713, Nehemiah Hayyun arrived in Amsterdam and requested permission from the Portuguese congregation to circulate his writings, which had been published in Berlin. Ashkenazi thought Hayyun was an old enemy of his from Sarajevo and Salonica, and at once requested Solomon Ayllon, Hakham of the Portuguese congregation, not to accord patronage to the stranger, who was unfavorably known to him. Ashkenazi believed himself justified in making this demand, as the Portuguese congregation and its rabbi had, from the beginning, treated him most courteously, and had already, during his term at Altona, repeatedly sent to him from the Sephardim of Hamburg, Amsterdam, and London religio-legal questions for his decision. Hayyun called on Ashkenazi personally and made an explanation, but Tsvi retracted his accusation, stating that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Meanwhile, several members of the Portuguese congregation had submitted Hayyun's writings to the judgment of Moses Hagiz, a messenger from Jerusalem then sojourning at Amsterdam, who immediately discovered their Sabbatian principles and tendencies and gave the alarm. He also called the attention of Ashkenazi to the dangerous doctrines published in Hayyun's book, whereupon the rabbi again warned the directorate of the Sephardim congregation not to support the author. Ashkenazi rejected a proposition to designate the objectionable passages and declined to act as a member of a committee of investigation because he did not regard Ayllon, the rabbi of the Sephardim, as a competent authority on such questions. A fierce contention ensued, during the progress of which Hagiz fought valiantly beside Ashkenazi.