Responsa Letter from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef – To Rabbi Elyashiv

Responsa Letter from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef – To Rabbi Elyashiv
Lengthy letter (3 pages), handwritten and signed by R. Ovadia Yosef. Jerusalem, Elul 1958.
Letter containing responsa and wishes for a good year, sent to his friend R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, in response to R. Elyashiv's comments on his book Responsa Yabia Omer part I, laws of Shofar blowing.
R. Ovadia Yosef (1920-2013) was born in Baghdad and immigrated to Jerusalem with his parents at a very young age. Already in his youth, he was renowned for his brilliance, and began composing books and teaching Torah to multitudes. In 1948, he travelled to Egypt to serve in the rabbinate and upon his return to Israel in 1951, he served as rabbi of Petach Tikva. In 1958, he was appointed dayan in the Jerusalem Beit Din, and in Tishrei 1965, in the Great Beit Din together with R. Elyashiv and other leading rabbis of his times. In 1969, R. Ovadia Yosef was appointed Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa and in 1973, Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel.
Throughout his tenure in the Jerusalem Beit Din, he sustained a strong connection with R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, and for a long period would come to R. Elyashiv's house every Shabbat eve, to confer with him on various halachic topics which arose during the Beit Din sittings. In 1973, R. Elyashiv publicly promoted R. Ovadia Yosef's candidacy for Chief Rabbi of Israel, through advertisements in Chareidi press and other means. R. Elyashiv's letter to R. Ovadia Yosef of Tishrei 1972 was publicized, in which he firmly instructed him to apply for the position, insisting that under the circumstances, it is not only permitted but required.
3 written pages, approx. 22 cm. Approx. 77 written lines. Good-fair condition. Minor tear to the center of the page, and light dampstains.