For the source text click/tap here: Bava Kamma 98
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Our sugya describes how already in ancient times it was the custom to honor great people by engraving their likeness on coins. So it was with Dovid and Shlomo, and before them with Avrohom and Yitzchok.
Tosafos (S.V. Matbeya Shel Avrohom) contends that it was not their image on the coins, as it is forbidden to forge a human image, rather it was their names that were inscribed.
The Yavetz’s father, the Chacham Tzvi, was extremely strict for himself and would not even allow his face to be drawn.
We know this from his son who describes with great emotion how, “The true saint, my father and rebbe, our great master, may Hashem be with him forever… went to visit the Sephardic Kehilla in London. He was greeted with great respect the like of which is unheard of. He was escorted into town in a royal floatilla amidst great jubilation.”
The kehilla, relying on the majority of poskim had commissioned an artist to draw his countenance.
We explore the teshuvot and life of this great Chacham, the father of Reb Yakov Emden.