Psak din from the arguments between Rav Auerbach and Rav Chaim David Wilhelm, representatives of Yeshivat Torat Kohanim, and the Sfardi Salim Mordechai Eliyahu (the owner of the rental property), regarding the payment of rent, with the latter’s suit for rental payment to be taken from the renter’s assets (the Yeshivat Torat Kohanim). The psak din tells the historic and sad story of the Yeshivat Ateret Kohanim which was closed only a few years after opening.
The “Torat Kohanim” yeshiva was established in the Old City of Jerusalem in 1922. It was established according to a unique framework—the yeshiva studied the avodah of sacrifices and mikdash, matters not usually taught at yeshivot and kollels. The leadership of the yeshiva was Chief Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook, who raised the matter at the Zionist Congress and requested support for the endeavour in order to bring about the geulah. Around four years later he opened Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav and removed himself from leadership of the Ateret Kohanim yeshiva.
The yeshiva only survived a short while longer and was closed as a result of lack of means and budget. This item documents its last days, when it was sued for lack of payment of its debts and the beit din permitted the landlord to collect on its debts from the yeshiva’s assets.
The psak is signed by members of the Badatz: Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank (Chief Rabbi); Rabbi Yosef Gershon Horwitz (rabbi of the Me’ah She’arim neighborhood); Rabbi Eliyahu Room (rabbi of the Beit HaKerem neighborhood and later Ra’avad of the Supreme Beit Din).
12x20cm. Tears without missing part of page, creases and folds. Fair to good condition.
