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Sheluhei Erez Israel (Heb. "emissaries of Erez Israel"), the name for messengers from Erez Israel, generally from Jerusalem, Hebron, and/or Safed, sent abroad as emissaries to raise funds. At first the heads of the Diaspora communities insisted that emissaries not be sent separately for each Erez Israel community, an exception being made in the case of the Ashkenazi and Italian communities of Safed and the Ashkenazi community of Jerusalem, which were allowed to send their own emissaries to their countries of origin. Special dispensation was given to these communities in order to encourage immigration from their countries of origin. From the beginning of the 19th century the communities began to act separately, each sending its own emissary to maintain its institutions.
Each emissary carried an emissary's letters, which was a lengthy and detailed document written on parchment or expensive paper, mainly in ornate style. It contained a request for financial support with a detailed description of the town's troubles as well as its virtues. The letter was signed by the rabbi, the dayyanim, and the other important members of the community. The letter was always written in Hebrew, but from the 18th century some emissaries translated it, or its most important points, into the language of the locality to which they were sent, sometimes even printing it.
Offered here is such a letter given to the shedar R. Judah Shabbetai Raphael Entebi on blue paper and signed by six prominent members of the community.
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