Jerusalem Talmud, Order Nezikin and Tractate Niddah, with the Pnei Moshe and Mareh HaPanim commentaries, by R. Moshe Margolies. Livorno ("Amsterdam typeface"), 1770. First edition of the Pnei Moshe and Mareh HaPanim commentaries.
This volume belonged to R. Yechezkel Landau, rabbi of Prague, author of Noda BiYehuda. The front endpaper bears many inscriptions, including an inscription in German from 1783, attesting that the book belongs to the Noda BiYehuda: "This book belongs to Mr. Yechezkel Landau, Chief Rabbi of Prague, 6th May 5543".
On p. 20a of Tractate Niddah, a gloss of four short lines. This gloss was presumably handwritten by the Noda BiYehuda, who differs from the opinion of the Pnei Moshe. The gloss concludes: "And the Pnei Moshe erred in his commentary".
On p. 9b of Tractate Shevuot, a very lengthy gloss, filling almost the entire margin. This gloss was presumably handwritten by R. Shmuel Segal Landau Rabbi of Prague, son of the Noda BiYehuda, author of Responsa Shivat Tzion. In this gloss, R. Shmuel differs at length with the commentary of the Pnei Moshe, and explains the Talmud in a different manner.
Amongst the inscriptions on the front endpaper are the signatures (in German) of two sons-in-law of the Noda BiYehuda: "Jontoff Ephraim Wehly" – R. Yom Tov son of R. Efraim Wehly and "Salomon Meyer Presburg" – R. Zalman son of R. Meir Presburg.
R. Yechezkel HaLevi Segal Landau (1713-1793) was a foremost Halachic authority of all times, which the entire Jewish nation relied upon. From a young age, he was renowned as a leading Torah scholar of his generation. From the age of 13 until 30, he resided in Brody, a thriving Torah center in those times, home to the celebrated Kloiz – Beit Midrash renowned for the study of all realms of Torah, and for the famous compositions on the Talmud, in Halacha and in Kabbalah which it produced. He served for about ten years as the rabbi of one of the four Batei Din in Brody. During his stay in Brody, he became close to the Kloiz scholars, including R. Chaim Sanzer and R. Gershon of Kitov (brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov). During those years, he studied the Arizal's writings together with R. Chaim Sanzer, a leading scholar in the Kloiz.
In ca. 1745, he went to serve as rabbi of Jampol, and in 1754, he began serving as rabbi of Prague and the region. In Prague, he led his community fearlessly, becoming a foremost leader of his generation. He established a large yeshiva there, in which he educated thousands of disciples, including many of the leaders of that generation (his disciple R. Elazar Fleckeles, author of Teshuva MeAhava, eulogized him: "He edified several thousands of disciples, including hundreds of rabbis and dayanim". Olat HaChodesh HaShlishi, 17, p. 85a). Thousands of questions were addressed to him from far-flung places. Approximately 850 of his responsa were published in Noda BiYehuda. His books published in his lifetime, Responsa Noda BiYehuda – Mahadura Kama and Tzelach on Tractate Pesachim and Berachot, earned him worldwide fame already then (Noda BiYehuda – Mahadura Tinyana, printed after his passing, Prague 1811, includes hundreds of his responsa to questions about his first book, addressed to him from various places).?The Chida in Shem HaGedolim greatly praises the book Noda BiYehuda as well as its author, describing him as an exceptionally outstanding Torah scholar who disseminated much Torah through his books and disciples, and mentions the acuity and extensive Torah wisdom apparent in his responsa and books. The Noda BiYehuda himself wrote in a responsum regarding one of his novellae, that in his opinion it is a true Torah thought (Even HaEzer, Mahadura Tinyana, section 23, 2). The Chatam Sofer relates to this responsum in one of his responsa (Part II, Even HaEzer, section 95): "The words of G-d are in his mouth, truth".
R. Shmuel HaLevi (Segal) Landau (ca. 1750-1834. According to a different opinion, he died in Tishrei 1837), a leading Torah scholar of his times. He was the son and successor of the Noda BiYehuda in the Prague rabbinate. His responsa, novellae and glosses were printed in the books of his father, the Noda BiYehuda, and in his book Shivat Tzion. He served as dayan in Prague in his father's lifetime and headed the senior yeshiva in the city. After his father's death, R. Shmuel was not appointed as rabbi of Prague due to various disputes among community leaders who did not wish to accept the will of the Nodah BiYehuda to appoint R. Shmuel as his successor, but his authority was recognized in the entire Jewish Diaspora as a leading Torah scholar and dayan of Prague, which was a center of Torah scholars and poskim. He was very active in bolstering religious adherence, in fighting the Reform Movement and their "revisions" of religion, as well as opposing Frankism in his city (which eventually led to his imprisonment). He exchanged halachic correspondence with the Chatam Sofer, who mentions R. Shmuel several times in his books with great esteem (see responsum of the Chatam Sofer [Part VIII, section 65], in which he relates that only twice did he retract a halachic ruling, once after he accepted the opinion of R. Efraim Zalman Margolies and again when he conceded to the opinion of R. Shmuel Landau on the way of spelling names for a get).
2; 30; 26; 22; 35; 6; 28; 24; 24 leaves. 37 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. New leather binding.