Illuminated Aleph Bookmark by Jean-Jacques LEVI

These are the Branches of Yichus of Our Rabbi Akiva the Kohen and Leader.

Some information prepared by Rabbi Yoel FRYD in 1931. For more information contact Mordechai Schlanger.

Akiva Ha-COHEN

There was a man here in Prague that was great in Torah, wealth and Yichus that came to Prague from those that were exiled from the holy congregation of Uban (Budapest) because of a libel that was fabricated there. This man was called Rabbi Akiva from Uban. [Son of Rabbi Yitzchok HaKohen son of Rabbi Akiva Kakohen the elder, Av Bais Din of Saloniki (Greece) who were both exiles from Spain, all descendants of The Kohen Gadol Elie.

Rabbi Akiva was called to the Yeshiva above (died) in the year 5256 (1496). He was known as an expert in Royal Court customs and because of jealousy, the nobles of Hungary in Uban fabricated a libel. He came here (Prague) and built a great, respected house and spread torah in the generation of Rabbi Yaakov POLLACK who was the Av Bais Din here at that time. [Listed as an advisor of King Mathais of Hungary by Encyclopedia Judaica.]

Megilas Yuchsin arranged by our master Rabbi Meir Perelis in the year 5493 (1733) in Prague.

Our Rabbi Akiva the Kohen had 12 sons and 13 daughters. He married 12 of his daughters to Kohanim to bless "KO SIVORCHU" . (Note: The language of the Torah "KO SIVIRCHU" means "So shall you bless". "KO" is the numerical equivalent of 25. Rabbi Akiva interpreted the verse to mean that the optimal blessing is with 25 Kohanim , which when counting his 12 sons, his 12 sons-in-law who were Kohanim as well as himself equaled 25 Kohanim participating in the blessing. - MS)

One of his sons was Rabbi Gershon