First halachic shailah sent from Europe to Americas!
Oros Hamitzvos. Beautiful copy!
Amsterdam, 1753
Commentary, explanations and chiddushim on the sources and reasons for the mitvzos, along with Shu”t Emek Binyamin by
Rabbi Binyamin Refael Diash Brandon of Congregation Neve Shalom in Amsterdam.
Special copy with beautiful printing on high-quality paper and wide bottom margins.
Dedication Copy
This original-edition copy was custom made and delivered as a gift to the philanthropist and Minister Mosseh de Selomoh Curiel to whom the sefer was dedicated. Curiel, scion of a distinguished family of Spanish anusim (Marranos), held a prominent position in the Jewish community in Amsterdam and served as a government diplomat. (Cecile, Ruth. Toldos Ha’Anusim p. 215)
Leaf [2] features a printed dedication in Portuguese in praise of Curiel, and the front and back covers of this binding are engraved with his name in large gold letters. Two angels bearing a kesser Torah are depicted above his name. Spine on this binding was reconstructed.
First halachic shailah sent from Europe to America!
The Shu”t section of this sefer (Ch. 15) includes an Halachic queary dated 1743 and was sent by the author Rabbi Binyamin Refael Diash Brandon to Rabbi Aaron Lidishma, Av Beis Din in
Surinam. Rabbi Aaron Lidishma’s teshuvah appears in Ch. 16.
Surinam was a Dutch colony in South America that attracted many Jewish Spanish and Portuguese emigrants fleeing the Inquisition.
This is, fascinatingly, the first documented shailah sent from a European rabbi to his contemporary in the Americas.
(See: Eisenstein, Beis Vaad Lachachamim Journal. New York, 1903. Issue 5, p. 8; Otzar Zichronosai . 340)
Amsterdam, 1753. Singular edition. [18], 103, [1]: [2], 22 leaves. Page size: 20 cm. Shu”t Emek Binyamin has a separate title page. Sefer opens with endorsements and poems by Amsterdam Rabbanim and scholars. Good condition.
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