Beschreibung:

Handwritten leaf, ruling signed by the Nodah B'Yehuda. Prague, 1762. Ruling of arbitration concerning the construction of a brick wall for the Chevra Kaddisha Gomlei Chassadim in the courtyard of the Prague synagogue. Sribal writing signed by the Nodah B'Yehuda: "Yechezkel Segal Landau". The ruling was written after two community heads who served simultaneously as gaba'im of the synagogue and of the Chevra Kaddisha approached the Nodah B'Yehuda: "R. Yitzchak Austrelitz, the head of our community and R. Yosef Kreplach community notable, gaba'im of the synagogue came before me…". The document continues to record that the Chevra Kaddisha wishes to build a brick wall to replace the wooden wall which was there until then (fear lest it be a fire hazard), and this wall will somewhat encroach upon the area of the synagogue court. R. Yechezkel Segal Landau, the Nodah B'Yehuda (1714-1793), renowned Rabbi of Prague and leading posek and Torah scholar of his times was born in Apta and after his marriage relocated to Brody. There he was appointed Rabbi of the sages of the famous kloiz in which he studied Torah day and night and among other subjects also received kabbalistic teachings from R. Chaim Sanzer, who praised him with superlative terms of regard. In 1734, he was appointed dayan in Brody and his fame as a posek began to spread. At that early stage of his life, serious questions related to releasing agunot were referred to his expert command of halacha. In 1746, he was appointed Rabbi of Yampil and from 1755 Rabbi of Prague succeeding R. David Oppenheim. In Prague, he headed the yeshiva and his authority and far-reaching influence spread throughout the Diaspora. He had many eminent disciples such as R. Avraham Danzig, author of Chayei Adam, R. Elazar Fleckeles, author of Teshuva MeAhava, R. David Deutsch author of Ohel David, etc. The Nodah B'Yehuda was actively involved in the great polemics of his times. He was active in arbitrating the dispute between R. Ya'akov Emden and R. Yehonatan Eybeshutz, was one of the leading speakers in the affair of the Cleves Get and fiercely fought the German maskilim (Enlightenment Movement). He was famed as a posek for posterity by his two-volume book of responsa Nodah B'Yehuda, one of the basic and most important books of responsa and halacha, and most of his rulings were fixed as the halacha for following generations. Among his other compositions: Zion L'Nefesh Chaya (Tzalach) on Talmudic tractates, Dagul M'Revava - Glosses on the Shulchan Aruch, etc. Much has already been written on his attitude towards Chassidism and its leaders. The Nodah B'Yehuda was related to the wife of the Ba'al Shem Tov but opposed Chassidism. However, some claim that his opinion of Chassidism was ambiguous and complex. Great Chassidic leaders held him in high esteem. It is told that the Ba'al Shem Tov said: we could not harm the Nodah B'Yehuda since "in his soul, holy sparks of souls are hidden" (Gelman, HaNodah B'Yehuda U'Mishnato, p. 63). [1] (folded) leaf, 28 cm. Good condition. Few stains. Folding creases. Below the ruling is a (German) signature of Carlos Fischer - the German Christian censor, from later time - 1824. The top of the leaf bears two official stamps.