Heinrich Julius, Duke of Brunswick, was intelligent and upright and always spoke well of the Jews. He dealt with them pleasantly with good and pleasant words, and never allowed any harm to come to them.

Nevertheless, he listened to some of his advisors and decreed to expel all the Jews and that they should leave all the land of Saxony before the beginning of October of this year 5352, which is Shemini Atzeret, and not one of them should pass through his land. The transgressor would be liable in body and property, and anyone who caught them would have the right to do with them as he wished.

However, from every place several times Jews were caught in his land and their money was taken from them and they were led into captivity. When the matter reached the Duke and his advisors, they had mercy on them and commanded to return to them all their money, from thread to shoelace, and sent them free for their souls (Tzemach David, part 2). The upright Emperor Rudolphus in his great kindness sent and summoned the Gaon Rabbi Levi bar Betzalel, and received him with pleasant and smiling countenance and spoke with him face to face as a man speaks to his fellow.

The nature and quality of the matters are hidden and sealed and concealed. This was in the holy community of Prague on the 2nd of Adar, year 5352 (Tzemach David).

The Gaon Rabbi Levi bar Betzalel, the crown of the sages, the wonder of the generation, whose light all the nations followed and from whose waters all the dispersions of Israel drank. He composed many works [and these are mentioned in Siftei Yeshenim: Or Chadash on Megillat Esther. Be'er HaGolah on the difficult aggadot. Gevurot HaShem, commentary on the Haggadah and the Exodus from Egypt.

Gur Aryeh. Derech Chaim on Pirkei Avot. Derush Aruch on Torah and worship and the prohibition of wine. Netzach Yisrael on many matters.

Netivot Olam. Tiferet Yisrael.] He was the head of the rabbinical court on all of the province of Mehrrin for about twenty years. Afterwards he came to Prague in the year 5332 and raised many students and established the study hall called the Klois and spread Torah in it for eleven years and afterward for another three years. On the fifth day of Iyar 5352, he traveled to the holy community of Pozna to be head of the rabbinical court over all the districts of Poland (Tzemach David).

Rabbi Mordechai Yafe, exceedingly wise in wisdom and old age. He composed Sefer Levush Malchut, [which comprises ten books called Levushim. The first five include all the laws of the Talmud and the poskim: Levush HaOrah on Rashi, Levush Simchah VeSasson sermons for holidays and circumcision and weddings. Levush Pinat Yekarat, commentary on Moreh Nevuchim.

Levush Eider HaYakar, structure and commentary on Kiddush HaChodesh by the Rambam. Levush Even HaYekarah, commentary on the Rakia. And Sefer Biurei Yafe, commentary on Sefer Tzurat HaAretz.] For about twenty years he was head of the rabbinical court in the holy community of Horodna and the holy community of Lublin and Kremenitz and raised many students. He came to Prague as head of the rabbinical court in the month of Iyar 5352 (Tzemach David).

Mordechai Meizel, head of the leaders and father of the poor, whose great deeds are worthy of being written. I saw fit to mention some of his deeds. He built at his own expense a high synagogue, a small Temple, and donated several Torah scrolls with all the holy vessels of silver and gold - some to our community of Prague, some to the province of Poland, and some to Jerusalem. He also built a bathhouse for the community and a mikveh, a house of immersion, and a hospice for the poor and destitute travelers.

He paved a stone pavement over the entire area of the Jewish streets, all at his expense. He also built the great synagogue, the glory of its beauty - there is no comparison in beauty in all the dispersions of Israel. It stood on twenty pillars, all of hewn stone. The expenses for the building that he spent on its construction were estimated at more than ten thousand talers.

All these are general matters, and the specifics are too numerous to count, for no book could contain all the charity he does every day. He supports Torah scholars with abundant provision and honors Torah scholars with fine gifts. On the eve of holidays he gives the poor an ox, a fattened calf, flour, fat, and other things needed by the poor. He lends his money to the poor of his city for their livelihood.

In the Hanukkah that passed, he lent at one time eight hundred talers. He clothes the naked many times - most of the poor of his city all in one color. Every year he marries off three brides by lot.

From these past two years until now, he has spent on the building of the synagogue mentioned above, and the sum of the loans and the aid he sent to the poor of the holy community of Pozna, along with what he lent here to the poor of his city, and with the sum of dowries he gave to the daughters of his brothers, totals in two years more than twenty thousand talers. [Thus far the order of the author of Tzemach David, year 5352, Simchah according to the minor count].