Sefer Olat Shmuel. Responsa on Orach Chaim by Rabbi Shmuel Yuda, Known as Shmuel Leib Kauder, Resident of Prague, who Lives among his People with Torah and Teaching, Here in Kaladei.

Prague, 1823. Only Edition.

On the title page: "Part I" – but no more were printed. Several responsa in the sefer deal with the controversy about shaving on chol hamoed and the Noda BiYehudah’s words.

Top of the title page with manuscript dedication by the author Rabbi Shmuel Leib Kauder Rosh Beth Din of Prague to his disciple Rabbi Daniel Frank Ab”d Kolin.


68 Beautiful long & important marginalia by Rabbi Daniel Frank some of them covering the while page margins.


The author, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Leib Kauder (1766-1838), “The Ga’on of Prague”, prominent disciple of Rabbi Michael Bacharach Av Beit Din of Prague and later on disciple of Rabbi Elazar Kalir author of Or Chadash in Kelin. Closely associated with Rabbi Betzalel Rensburg and member of his Beit Din in Prague.


Resided in Kalady and from 1812 served as Av Beit Din of communities of Tábor and Budweis in Bohemia. In 1835 was appointed as chief Av Beit Din of community of Prague, taught Torah and was known as a prominent rabbinical authority. From his many compositions only Olat Shmuel Responsa (on section Orach Chaim), Sefer Ahavat Emet (sermons) and Sefer Zichron BaSefer (on tractate Megillah) were printed.


Rabbi Daniel Frank, born in 1796 in Raděnín u Tábor.  A disciple of  Rabbi Shmuel Leib Kauder. He served as 
Rabbi of Neuzerekwe (Nova Cerekev). In 1839 he was called in from Votice where he served as a Dayan from 1832 to serves as Rabbi of Kolin. His work in Kolín was very fruitful and will be mentioned later on in connection with the Jewish school in Kolín. Despite his status, he was very humble. It shines through from the inscription on his tomb, which he wrote himself.. Daniel Frank was just a local rabbi, but he played an important role among the Bohemian rabbis. They were aware of the arrival of a new era and needed to find a good example of a man freed from the ghetto to pursue religion. They were not always understood, and the lives of many were embittered for it. Daniel Frank was a member of the “Notabelnversammlung” (Assembly of Notables) a group of consultants constituted by the vice–regency and sent to Prague in 1850 to work out a new legal status for the Bohemian Jews. In his frankness, he informed the Kolín Jews that he was proposing the establishment of local rabbinates subordinate to the regional rabbinates which would in turn subordinate to the chief rabbinate.

However, the Kolín Jews misunderstood the proposal and thought that each Jewish community, no matter how small, would have to sustain a rabbi, a religious teacher, a regular teacher, a hazzan, a shochet, a mohel, a scribe, a servant, and in addition to that, they would have to pay dues to the regional and the chief rabbinate. Therefore, they called for an urgent meeting in Kolín that would take place on the 9th of December 1850. And indeed, delegates from about 40 Jewish communities arrived at the meeting. The meeting was held in a building on the grounds of a cemetery. Aron Altschul from Ĉeská Lípa was elected chairman. He opened the meeting with the words: “The ‘Flanďáci’ decided to introduce new taxes and to control us. We will do our best to prevent it.”. Then, the resolution prepared in advance was to be read and discussed, but at that moment, a state official entered the room and disbanded the meeting. Nevertheless, the resolution was handed over to the office of the governor. 

A large shift took place at Kolín with the arrival of Rabbi Daniel Frank in 1839. Shortly after his arrival, he visited all the private Hebrew schools and the results of his inspection were of great dissatisfaction to him. He saw that there was neither a functioning system nor a plan, a lack of discipline, and even basic care for one’s health. He explained the state of the matter from the pulpit and proclaimed energetically that he would give up his position if the community and the parents would not support him in the establishment of a proper school divided into classes, where good and proven teachers would teach and receive a fixed salary. The Kolín Jews recognized that the matter was urgent and necessary and therefore supported him.

He passed away in 1860.

[2], 72, [1] Leaves. 36 Cm.

Overall in Good condition, stains, worming to inner margins moistly lightly, original binding damaged.

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Lot #115

Authors dedication by the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Leib Kauder Ravad Prague to his disciple Rabbi Daniel Frank Ab''d Kolin. Important marginallia!

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