Rabbi Meldola's most famous work

First Edition of Rabbi Meldola's most famous work: an instruction manual for grooms discussing matchmaking, marriage, mikveh, the sacred act of copulation, women's cycle, prayers and more.

Rabbi Raphael Meldola (1754-1828) was born in Livorno to a well known Sephardi family originating in 13th-century Toledo. Meldola started working as a printer before receiving a thorough university training in both theological and secular studies. He displayed such remarkable talents that at the age of 15 he was permitted to take his seat in the rabbinical college in Livorno. He was appointed Dayan (rabbinic judge) in 1803. In 1805 Meldola moved to London and was elected Haham (a great Torah scholar, and in Sephardic communities this was the official title for the local rabbi) of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Great Britain and rabbi of the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London. Among Mendola's many achievements in this role was improving the collaboration and cooperation between the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi communities, including persuading the two communities to set up a joint board for shechita (Jewish ritual slaughtering).

First edition; small 8vo (15.3 x 10.5 cm), rebacked publisher's boards, marbled-red-stained edges, slight browning to some of the leaves, all pages with ornamental border; text in Hebrew with censor's approval note in Italian at the end of the volume, double endpapers; [19], 111 ll.

Vinograd, Leghorn 424.