Tal Oroth [novellae and discourses to the laws of the Sabbath in Orach Chaim in poetic form with an extensive commentary].

SHAUL BEN DAVID.

Abraham Heida

Prague

1615

First Edition. Text diagrams relating to Sabbath boundaries. Jews’ College copy.

Vinograd, Prague 240.

R. Saul ben David (d. 1623) was a talented poet, evident both from this and his other published work, Chanukath HaBayith. His teachings are referred to by the Magen Avraham and other decisors. Interestingly, on the final leaf, the author discusses incidents of Sabbath desecration in his community, especially in the outer villages. He attributes such desecration to the constant fear of pogrom and similar brutalities suffered by the Jewish communities of Russia.