Hanhagat V'Limud HaTalmidim V'Darchei Yesod HaLimud, by R. David Meldola. Amsterdam, [1754].
The book includes two sections, the first one named Hanhagat HaTalmidim, surrounded by the Limud HaTalmidim commentary, and the second called Darchei HaLimud, surrounded by the Yesod HaLimud commentary.
The page adjoining the title page contains a dedication handwritten and signed by R. Yisrael Landau, son of the Noda BiYehuda, to his friend R. Shimon Oish, one of the Torah scholars of Prague. The initials of this exceptional poetic dedication spell out: "Mazal Tov, Shimon son of R. Moshe Wolf Oish". The dedication is signed: "… Yisrael… one of the small ones of the tribe of Levi… from the Landau family… today Thursday 19th Cheshvan [1818]".
R. Yisrael HaLevi Landau (1758-1830) was the youngest son of R. Yechezkel Landau - the Noda BiYehuda, and father of R. Eliezer Landau of Brody (author of Yad HaMelech on Rambam). He was his father's close attendant. In 1791, in his father's lifetime, he published the book Tziyun LeNefesh Chaya – Tzelach on Tractate Brachot. In his preface, the Noda BiYehuda praises his son for offering to print and disseminate his teachings, taking upon himself everything involved in publishing the book. After his father's passing, he also published Tzelach on Tractate Beitza, and edited and published his father's book Dagul MeRevava on Shulchan Aruch, adding his forewords in fine, poetic language. His father quotes his novellae several times in his books (for instance, at the end of Tzelach on Pesachim: "and these are the words of my youngest son the great scholar R. Yisrael Segal"). He published anonymously a book named Chok L'Yisrael (Prague, 1798) – an abridgment of Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot and Smag, with Judeo-German translation, and also composed the books Har HaZeitim and Moneh Mispar on Talmudic Aggadot, which remained in manuscript form.
The addressee of the dedication, R. Shimon Oish, was one the rabbis and Torah scholars of Prague, "who's heart was aflame with the fire of Torah since his youth" (see Kedem Auction 14, item 369). He was mechutan with R. Shmuel Landau, rabbi of Prague and son of the Noda BiYehuda, with whom he had correspondence in learning already before he married. This correspondence was printed in R. Shmuel's book Shivat Tzion in a few responsa, in one of them R. Shmuel writes to him: "…dove into mighty waters and wisely collected extensive and profound Talmudic principles… and I studied his delightful words and took great pleasure in them…". He also corresponded with Maharatz Chayes and R. Shlomo Yehuda Rapoport (Shir). He left behind handwritten compositions.
[7], 9, 11-12, 49-51; [1], 7, 9-20, [1] leaves. 14 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming. Gilt edges. Fine original binding with gilt ornamentation. Minor damage and stains to the binding.
This copy contains an additional leaf of approbations and the last leaf, which do not appear in all copies (see Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, no. 147871).