Dagda
Born in Zelva in White Russia on 3 Marcheshvan 5637 (21 October 1876). Ordained for halakhic rulings by the Gaon R. Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk and others.
Son-in-law of the aforementioned R. Yekutiel Leib Elian, and elected to fill his place in the rabbinate here immediately after his passing (even before his own marriage in the summer of 5660, a short time after the passing of his father-in-law).
In approximately 5670 he founded a yeshiva here.
Mentioned in Igrot Kodesh of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Mohariatz)1): “For R. Yaakov Smargan in the city of Dagda, please pass nine hundred and sixty lats.”
A letter from him as a “public proclamation for help” in the dispute of the butchers against him was printed in Unzer Shtime2), where he brings a letter he received from R. Menachem Mendel Zak, rabbi of Riga:
With God's help, 5 Shemini [Torah portion “Bring Aaron near”], 5692, here in Riga, may it be protected.
It is hereby made known that I agree with the rabbinical committee that the ritual slaughterers are obligated to receive slips only from the butchers who specifically received them from the Gaon Av Beit Din of your community, as was the practice from before, and without the permission and consent of the rabbi, the ritual slaughterers may not slaughter in any case.
And with this I remain, blessing you with all good.
Menachem Mendel Zak, of the holy congregation of Riga, may it be protected.
He perished in the Holocaust in the summer of 5701 (1941).
Ohalei Shem, p. 35. Dor Rabbanov veSoferav, part 3, pp. 33–34 (where his name is given as Yaakov Gdalyahu). Newspapers: HaMagid, 10 Sivan 5660; HaTzfirah, 8 Tammuz 5660; HaMelitz, 22 Tammuz 5660.
Latvia and Rabbis