“With respect to this orphaned generation, I say ‘Hashem’s ways are upright, the righteous follow them, and the pious/Chassidim fail in them” [ Noda BiYehudah Yoreh Deah p. 93, see below.]
Shu”t Noda BiYehudah on the four parts of Shulchan Aruch by the gadol hador , the gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, av beit din of Prague, known as the author of Noda BiYehudah after this work. Two parts bound together with separate title pages. Prague, 1736-1737. Sought-after rare first edition of this fundamental sefer , printed by the sacred author in his lifetime.
Pedigree copy with important glosses: Several owners’ signatures on the first title page, including from the gaon Rabbi Yosef Shaul b”r Meir HaLevi (Landau), son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov and a descendant of the Noda BiYehudah. Several beautiful scholarly glosses appear in the margins of the leaves, some lengthy. The glosses are not signed, but the text speaks directly “as one would speak to his friend” indicating that they were written by one of the gedolei hador . For example, in one of the glosses [in the indices at the end of Part I] the Noda BiYehudah wrote: “I found it in Hagahot Maimoni ” and the writer of the glosses states: “This is also found in the Tosafot ” … And in the margins of one of the glosses [Even HaEzer, siman 43] the writer of the glosses wrote: “I heard from the sacred Admo”r the gaon Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin … [Refer to Sho’el U’Meishiv , Shu”t Beit Ephraim , Baruch Ta’am , Cheshek Shlomo and more. More material included.]
Stefansky, Sifrei Yessod 309: This is the first edition of one of the most important halachic sefarim on the Jewish bookshelf, accepted across all generations, over the entire Diaspora, as the pillar of halachah. Written by one of the giants of the generations among the Jewish people, known by the name of his sefer , as the “Ba’al Ha Noda BiYehudah ” [to the extent that his actual name, Yechezkel Landau, has almost been forgotten]. The Chid”a, in Shem HaGedolim , writes about Noda BiYehudah : “His responsa are based on the principles of sharp and expert pilpul and sevarah … A wise person’s wisdom can be seen in his sefarim , and here he is shown to be great and wondrous, among the gedolei hador , a mighty gaon, praised by the Jewish people and deeply respected…” The Ba’al HaTanya attests about this sefer , “The rabbi from Prague was unique across generations for his instructions, Hashem was with him. He always hit the nail on the head, he was never off-target finding the truth in anything he ruled. ( Mofet HaDor p. 74).
The “Leshem Yichud” controversy: The Noda BiYehudah’s famed responsum opposing recital of “LeShem Yichud” appears in simanim 90-93 in the first part here. In these simanim , the Noda BiYehudah sharply opposes reciting ‘LeShem Yichud’ before performing mitzvahs, as Chassidim are accustomed to do, as follows: “With respect to this orphaned generation, I say ‘Hashem’s ways are upright, the righteous follow them, and the pious/Chassidim fail in them.” However, despite the Noda BiYehudah attacking a famous Chassidic custom in this responsum, his name retained its sacred status among Chassidim. Chassidic historic works relate that when the Ba’al Shem Tov received a Heavenly revelation that for the sake of his soul, he must serve a talmid chacham . He specifically went to the Noda BiYehudah and presented him with coal with which to light his pipe. Tradition also relates that the Besh”t said about the Noda BiYehudah: A third of the world rests on the drung [the tall man – the Noda BiYehudah was a tall man]. Belz Chassidim, for example, to this day, do not recite ‘LeShem Yichud’ on the Noda BiYehudah’s yahrtzeit due to his opposition to it.
The progression of its printing: The printing started in Adar 1776 [as appears on the title page] and concluded in Tevet 1777 [as appears on the colophon at the end of the second part]. Simanim 90-93 in the first part (with the famed responsum opposing recital of ‘LeShem Yichud’) are from Sivan 1776, that is, the Noda BiYehudah wrote them several months after the beginning of the printing. On the day the printing concluded – the eve of Rosh Chodesh Shevat, 1776, which was when he finished writing his sefer Noda BiYehudah Kamma , and he gave a derashah in honor of the occasion. ( Ahavat Tziyon Prague 1827, drush 9, 18b).
The magnificence of its printing: The Noda BiYehudah’s son, the gaon Rabbi Ya’akovka of Brod, writes about the beauty of this first edition: “… From the day the press in Prague was founded to this day, no sefer has been published that is so beautiful.” Indeed, as can be seen from this copy, which was printed with beauty and elegance, in bright ink, on thick and high-quality paper. Despite the three hundred years that have passed since its printing, the leaves have been preserved in rare integrity, without the tears typical of books of this age. The (original?) cover has also been preserved in excellent condition, including the leather spine and the name of the sefer stamp on it.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of Rabbeinu Yechezkel HaLevi Segal Landau .
[1], 86, [9] leaf; [1], 157 leaf. Lacking the leaf with the author’s introduction at the beginning of Part I. 34 cm.
Fine condition. Signatures. Stamps. Aging stains. Antique embossed semi-leather binding with lack.
