Handwritten leaf, "Morenu" certificate given to "R. Avraham son of the late… R. Leib, grandson of the renowned R. Avraham", signed by the Prague rabbis: R. Shlomo Yehuda Rappaport, R. Shmuel Freund and R. Efraim Leib Katz Teveles. Prague, Tishrei 1845.
The certificate, issued by the Prague Beit Din, bestows the title "Morenu" on the recipient, stating that he will thereafter be called "Morenu Rav Rabbi Avraham… when called to the holy Torah and every holy matter".
Official emblem at the head of the certificate.
R. Shlomo Yehudah (Solomon Judah) Rappaport (known by his acronym Shir; 1790-1867), a prominent rabbi and scholar who studied Torah and science, son-in-law of the author of Ketzot HaChoshen. Pioneer of the moderate Haskalah movement in Galicia and one of the founders of the Chochmat Yisrael movement. He authored numerous rabbinic biographies and essays in the field of Judaic studies. In his senior years, he served as rabbi of Prague, opposing the reform movement.
R. Shmuel Freund (1795-1860), renowned Torah scholar, head of the Prague Beit Din, author of Ir HaTzedek and more. Opponent of the reform movement in Prague. (See: Ishim BiTeshuvot Chatam Sofer, p. 389).
R. Efraim Leib Katz Teveles was a leading dayan in Prague. Colleague of R. Nachum Trebitsch. Together they edited the book Zera Yaakov by R. Yaakov Ginzburg (dean of the Prague Yeshiva and member of the Beit Din of the Noda BiYehuda).
In his letter to the Aruch LaNer, the Ktav Sofer writes (Igrot Sofrim, Letters of the Ktav Sofer, 5): "…The Prague community is famous and large. The head of the Beit Din is Rappaport, and another two dayanim, pious and great Torah scholars, R. Shmuel Freund and R. Efraim Leib Teveles…".
[1] leaf. 17 cm. Good condition. A few stains. Folding mark.