a Selection of Famous Rabbinic Portraits and their Origins part II

This is a revised version of an article I originally published in the Jewish Press

Rabbinic portraits have been treasured by generations of Jews, for some,  as a way to remember someone they revered, for others, to be kept as amulets, or as a method to popularize his teachings. The Rabbis in the portraits themselves though, often objected to having their image taken and some took great lengths to prevent their dissemination. In some instances, the portraits were a method used by a publisher to promote the sales of the Rabbi's published work, at times reverting to creating an artist's rendition if no authentic portraits were available. Below is a look in to some portraits of famous Rabbis and their origins. 

Rabbi Elazar Rokeach (c. 1665—1742)

Rabbi Elazar Rokeach was born in Cracow, and after serving as Rabbi in Rakow and Brody, was offered the Rabbinate in Amsterdam in 1735. Upon his arrival, A medal was designed in his honor, one side of which exhibited his head in relief, surrounded by the words: "Eleazar ben Samuel, Rabbi of Brody" (in Hebrew), the other side containing chosen verses from Tehillim. The appearance of his portrait in a medal, brought to life a lengthy discussion on it's permissibly in Rabbinic responsa of the time, with R. Yaakov Emden stating that it would be forbidden and suggesting that it was done without the knowledge of R. Elazar Rokeach.

Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Schwadron, the Maharsham (1835–1911)

Only one photograph of the Maharsham exists, showing him with a siddur in hand, in the later years of his life. The origin of this photograph as retold in the family, is that the Maharsham was against his photograph being taken, and this one photo was taken against his wishes. On one Motsae Shabbat, during his reciting of Kiddush Levanah, the photograph was taken by one of his grandchildren, as he was reciting the prayers from the Siddur.

Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira (1806-1880)

Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira is known to have avoided having a photograph of his taken, and in his trip towards the holy land at the end of his life, he went to great lengths to obtaining a passport without the use of his photograph. The current portrait we have today, is said to have been made by an artist who studied his features at length and then proceeded to make the drawing in another location, without the Rabbi's knowledge. Shortly after his passing, the portrait was disseminated by his followers and printed alongside his published works. 

R. Yehudah Aryeh of Modena (1571–1648)

The portrait of R. Leon Modena or Yehudah Aryeh Mi-modena, appeared on the title page of a book he published, Historia De Gli Riti Hebraici, being the first sefer in modern history attempting to explain the practices of Jews for a gentile readership. Published at the request of Sir Henry Wotton, English Ambassador to Venice, for presentation to King James I, it was translated into many languages. The portrait of Modena on the title page is one of the earliest portraits of a Jew. Surprisingly, the portrait shows him without a head-covering, R. Modena justified this practice, by stating that the majority of Jews in Italy did not wear a head covering, and addressed this issue in one of his many responsa. 

R. Israel Meir Kagan, the Chofetz Chaim, (1839-1933)

In 1925, the Chofetz Chaim announced that he would make Aliyah and settle in Petah Tikvah, where his daughter and son-in-law, R. Aharon Hakohen resided. In order to obtain a passport, his photograph was taken, this photograph is the source of the familiar portrait we know today. It is said that the Chofetz Chaim requested from the photographer to destroy the plate after producing the picture, so as to prevent copies from being made, though a bachur from Radin convinced the photographer otherwise, and thus the portrait quickly disseminated. 

Yaakov Emden, known as the Ya'avetz (1697–1776)

The portrait of R. Yaakov Emden that we have today, first appeared as a print in the late 19th century, long after the Ya'avetz's passing. Being that R. Yaakov Emden discusses his father's portrait being made and his objections to it, and that a mention of such a portrait of himself was not made in all his writings or in his auto-biography, scholars believe that the portrait was most likely a later invention. 

R. Shmuel Eidels (1555 – 1631), the Maharsha

The Maharsha's portrait that we are familiar with today, shows him in his study, leaning over books and with long hair. The illustration incorporates the legend that the Maharsha had long hair, which he would tie to a nail in the ceiling while studying, to prevent him from falling asleep. This portrait first appeared in the 1814 edition of the Maharsha on the Talmud, printed in Vienna by by George Holzinger. 

R. Yitzchak Alfasi. the Ri"f (1013–1103)

The illustration of the Ri"f, R. Yitzchak Alfasi is an artist rendition, which first appeared in an early 19th century edition of the Alfas, published in Vienna. The illustration quickly caught on, and by the 1850s, it appeared on sukkah decorations, and later on postcards published by Meir Kunstadt. By the 1920s, the portrait appeared in numerous editions of the Haggadah, accompanying the scene of Ma'aseh BeRabbi Eliezer.

Chacham Zvi, Rabbi Zvi Ashkenazi (1658-1713)

R. Zvi Ashkenazi, the Chacham Zvi, was offered the Rabbinate in London, by the Sephardic Community ,and it was during this period, that his portrait was made. His son R. Yaakov Emden writes of the portrait in his responsa: He was greatly adored by the community, and they wanted to commission a portrait of him, offering all the love and honor in the world to him if he would permit it. He did not heed their words and refused to allow it, despite it being permitted under Jewish Law. Despite this, they did not contain themselves and had a master artist create a painting that was a perfect resemblance of his father. R. Yaakov Emden writes how copies of the portrait were made and they commanded a high premium from his friends and acquaintances. R Emden remarked on the striking similarity between the portrait and his father, stating "All that is missing is the breath of life"

Isaac Leeser (1806-1868)

Rev. Isaac Leeser was an American Jewish Leader, though not ordained, he led several communities in the United States. He was the first to published a Jewish Translation of the Bible to English and published comprehensive Hebrew-English Prayerbooks in the New World. His familiar portrait was drawn by Leeser's friend Solomon Nunes Carvalho, a famous American Jewish Painter and Photographer. Nunes is best remembered as an explorer who traveled through the territory of Kansas, Colorado and Utah with John C. Frémont.

The Ben Ish Hai, Rabbi Yosef Hayyim (1835-1909)

The famed portrait of the Ben Ish Hai, was photographed approximately in 1877, when R. Yosef Hayyim was 42 years old. The original photograph, which numerous artist's renditions are based on, was sent by the Ben Ish Hai personally to the Iraqi Jewish Philanthropist Saliman David Sassoon as a memento. The Ben Ish Hai's thoughts regarding the permissibility of photographs was recorded in his book, Rav Berachot, where he writes that it is permitted to take photographs, though women are recommended to prevent their photographs being taken, to promote modesty.

a very partial list of Sources used: :
Ben Ish Hai: בן איש חי - תולדותיו קורותיו ומורשתו לדורות page 103, Rav Berachot מערכת צ אות א
Maharsham: Oral family tradition as retold by Rebbetzin Yocheved Friedman, née Fuchs
Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira: As heard from his great-grandson, מסעור אזרוואל
Isaac Leeser: Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism by Lance J. Sussman
Chacham Zvi: שאילת יעבץ ח"א סימן קע
R. Yaakov Emden: heard from Prof. Shnayer Leiman, who owns the original 19th century portrait
Chofetz Chaim: heard from his great-grandchild, who remarked that while authentic, the portrait does not reflect the Chofetz Chaim's demeanor
R. Yehudah Aryeh of Modena: אוצר הכיפה volume II
Rabbi Elazar Rokeach: שאילת יעבץ ח"א סימן קע