BRANDON, BENJAMIN RAPHAEL DIAS. Emek Binyamin [on the precepts, with supplement of responsa]

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

J. Jansson

Amsterdam

1753

FIRST EDITION. Title within typographical border.

Vinograd, Amsterdam 1682

On f.22v, the author records the first Halachic query asked by a European of a Rabbi on the American Continent - Aaron Ledesma, who had been Rabbi in Surinam since 1737. Ledesma was a “talented, brilliant multilinguist physician and graduate of Amsterdam’s Ets Haim Seminary.” Nevertheless, it is quite ironic that a resident of Amsterdam, living amidst brilliant Halachic decisors addresses a young rabbi in South America to settle a religious issue. Brandon, see also Lot 187.