Remarkable and Unique Certificate of Appreciation in Honor of Rabbi Aharon (Adolf) Jellinek – Vienna, 1882

Remarkable and Unique Certificate of Appreciation in Honor of Rabbi Aharon (Adolf) Jellinek – Vienna, 1882
A hand-made calligraphic and illustrated certificate of appreciation presented to Rabbi Adolf Jellinek by the directors of "Beit HaMidrash" in Vienna, commemorating his 25 years of service as president and rabbi of the Viennese Leopoldstädter Tempel and "Beit HaMidrash." Vienna, October 6, 1882. German.
Fine calligraphic script, with colorful, expert hand illustrations, on exceptionally heavy paper.
The first leaf, on which the first part of the honorary accolade is inscribed, is framed with richly decorated, colorful, floral patterns. A portrait photograph of Jellinek (cut out of an original carte de visite portrait, the most famous of Jellinek) is mounted center top of the leaf. In the four corners, within round medallions, appear illustrations of biblical figures related to Jellinek (the illustrations are mentioned in the text): Aaron the Prophet [Jellinek's Hebrew name], with the inscription "Ohev et HaBriyot" (Hebrew: "Loves the people"); Isaiah the Prophet, with the inscription "Shim'u Dvar HaShem" (Hebrew: "Hear the word of the Lord") [related to Jellinek being an orator]; Tachkemoni reading a book, with the inscription "Beit HaMidrash, Shabbath Tachkemoni", and Ezra the Scribe, with the inscription "Sofer Mahir" (Hebrew: "Well-versed teacher"). On the right and left side margins, within cartouches, appear the dates October 6, 1857, and October 6, 1882, referring to the 25-year anniversary of Jellinek's service as rabbi, preacher and president of the "Beit HaMidrash" and the Leopoldstädter Synagogue. The sentence "Die Echte Wissenschaft Macht Frei, die Echte Freiheit Tolerant und Milde" ["True science leads to liberty, true liberty – to tolerance and moderation"] appears on the bottom of the certificate. Signed by the artist (L. Katscher) in the lower right corner.
The accolade text continues on the second leaf; here the frame and medallions in the corners are blank. The bottom of this leaf is signed by three renowned heads of the Viennese "Beit HaMidrash"– Arminio Cohn, 1811-1891, (president of the Vienna Jewish congregation during the years 1886-1890), Wilhelm von Guttmann, 1826-1895, (president of the Vienna Jewish congregation during the years 1891-1892) and Emanuel Baumgarten, 1828-1908, (author and journalist, member of the Jewish Community Council in Vienna).
Rabbi Aharon (Adolf) Jellinek (1821-1893) was a German-Jewish scholar, among the leaders of the “Chochmat Israel” movement. He was a bibliographer, collector, scholar of Jewish Studies, preacher and one of the outstanding orators of his generation. In 1857 Jellinek was appointed rabbi and Darshan (preacher) of the Tempelgasse Synagogue (also known as the Leopoldstädter Tempel) in Vienna. Seven years later, in 1864, he founded the Vienna Beth Hamidrasch in one of the synagogue’s wings, for biblical and Jewish studies. Jellinek edited a collection of Midrashim and Kabbalah named “Beit HaMidrash,” which compiled more than two hundred midrashim. Jellinek was probably the greatest synagogue orator of the 19th century. S.Y. Agnon wrote about him, “There were great Darshanim (preachers) in Jellinek’s era but there was none like Jellinek. Whoever listened to Jellinek preaching felt as if a spirit from above had rested upon the preacher and was speaking through him…” (“Tachrich shel Sipurim,” Schocken, 2001, p.200).
[2] leaves, 41.5X32 cm. Good condition. A few mild stains, mainly in the margins and to the reverse of the leaves. Bumped corners.