Auction 70
Lot 4:
Shut Noda BiYehuda, Mahadura Kama, two sections, on the 4 parts of the Shulchan Aruch by the great Gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Segal Landau, Av Beit Din of Prague, known as the Noda BiYehuda after this book.
First edition and in the author’s lifetime – Prague, 1776. Section I: [2], 86, [9] leaves. Section II: [1], 157 leaves. Separate title page for section II. Stefansky Sifrei Yesod 309. In the National Library, the book appears in the Rare Book Collection. Poetic, rhymed introduction by the author.
Jews in the Diaspora!
On verso of the introduction, an "apology" where Rabbeinu explains at length how much one should be careful to maintain the honor of the non-Jewish nations "and we must pray for the health of the kings and ministers and their armies and the safety of the state and its residents and we should not be ungrateful…". Then he moves on to a most explosive topic – theft from a non-jew, explaining that it is totally forbidden. He ends with the statement that "all the more so regarding contemporary nations which believe in the principles of religion… Pshita that we have to honor and respect them…". It should be noted that there is a variant that was published without the censor’s license and there, this apology does not appear.
Amal HaTorah!
The copy indicates that it was thoroughly studied. The leaves are stained, torn and taped with moth perforations and some moth damage. The margins are with lengthy and significant glosses indicating they had been written by a Talmid Chacham of stature. The two front flyleaves are also with many handwritten Chidushei Torah.
The copy also contains many handwritten signatures and ownership stamps!
Stamps on the title page: "מרדכי ברל כ"ץ" יוסף בר"ה ז"ל פיקס לאדז, ווסכאדניא 45". "יוסף ברם כהן" alongside his foreign stamps.
Many signatures: "צבי הירש יאקאבאוויטץ". "שמואל שלום ברב"י סג"ל החופ"ק ווארטה?" Many signatures: "יוסף ב"ר חיים ז"ל פיקס מלאדז’" whose signature also appears beside the Chidushei Torah on the flyleaves. On verso of the title page, a notation of his pedigree: רבי יוסף פוקס בן רבי חיים בן רבי יהודא חתנא דבי נשיאה הרב הגאון… רבן של כל בני הגולה כש"ת ר’ חיים זצ"ל אבד"ק לינטשיץ בעל המחבר ספר הגדול דיברי משפט על חושן המשפט" (the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Auerbach, the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac, Av Beit Din of Luntshitz who was famed for authoring the work Divrei Mishpat, Krotshin, 1835).
Condition: beyond the aforementioned, the first title page is cut in its lower part and with taping to its side. Some mold stains. Fair overall condition.
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