Derech Pikudecha, on the 613 Torah commandments, by Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro, Rabbi of Dinov, author of Bnei Yissachar. Lviv: Franz Galinski, 1851. First edition.

The author,
Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech Langsam-Shapiro of Dinov (1783-1841), a prominent Chassidic rebbe and kabbalist, close disciple of R. Mendele of Rimanov and disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin, the Ohev Israel of Apta and the Maggid of Kozhnitz. From a young age he served as Rabbi of various Galician towns and of Munkacs, but he is best known for officiating as Rabbi in Dinov, where he was appointed rebbe in 1815. He authored dozens of works on halachah, aggadah, Chassidut and kabbalah. His most famous work is his Bnei Yissachar. He was the progenitor of many dynasties of rabbis and rebbes: Dinov, Munkacs, Bukovsk and others.

In the present work, each of the 613 commandments is explained according to three aspects: action – basics and details of laws; speech – halachic novellae on aspects of the mitzvah; and thought – the deeper reasons for the mitzvah according to rabbinic and kabbalistic teachings.

Derech Pikudecha was enthusiastically received, and is referenced alike by Sephardic sages, leading rabbis of Poland-Lithuania and contemporary poskim. The Imrei Yosef of Spinka said that "his first awakening to service of G-d came to him through study of Derech Pikudecha…" (introduction to Imrei Yosef, IX, 6).

[1], 74, 65-66, 79-91 leaves. Misfoliation. 23 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Light wear. Worming, affecting text (worming in many places on several leaves). Tears and open tears, partially repaired with paper (some over part of the text). Title page detached (title page and several other leaves may have been supplied from other copies). Stamps. Late glosses (in pen), some deleted with ink. New leather binding.

Variant. In the present copy, the "addendum to negative commandment 38 from the commandment not to covet" is printed on the last page (p. 91b), while the continuation of p. 91a is printed on the verso of the title page (in some copies the addendum appears on the verso of the title page and leaf 91 appears in the correct order).