This is an interesting Antique Hebrew book with, as we shall see, a distant British connection to Dayan Samuel Jacob Hillman. The book consists of Novellae (Chidushim) to the tractates Pesachim, Hullin and Bava Basra. The first part, Chidushei Halachos, summarizes each topic on the basis if the Talmud and its commentaries, and the second, Chidushei Posekim, deals with legal (Halachic) rulings that derive from these sources.
Rabbi Abraham ben Saul Broda was boen in Bunzlau in Bohemia and pursued his Talmudic studies with Rabbi Isaac ben Zev Harif of Cracow. He became Rabbi in Lichtenstadt and Raudnitz, and in 1693 became Chief Rabbi of Prague. When a difference arose between him and Rabbi Zvi Ashkenazi in regard to a ritual question, the Rabbi’s of Prague did not support him and he looked for another position.
In 1709 he was appointed Rabbi of Metz, and in 1713 Frankfort on Main, where he remained until his death in 1717. He wrote several books, but his most important work was this book, Eshel Avraham, which was published posthumously in 1747. My copy is printed on thick, good quality laid paper, which has helped it to survive.
The book has interesting haskomos (approbations) including one from Rabbi Jonathan Eybeschuetz which pays tribute to Rabbi Broda’s education and teaching “He was remarkably successful in learning, teaching and disseminating Torah, and most sontemporary Rabbis of renown were his disciples.” Among his outstanding students were Rabbi Nethanel Weil, Rabbi Jonah Landsofer and Rabbi Samuel Helman of Metz.
Another haskomo (approbation) is from my six-greats grandfather, Rabbi Yechezkel Katzenellenbogen of Altona..
However, it is these words written by Rabbi Samuel (Shmuel) Helman (Hillman) of Metz and also of Mannheim, 1670-1764 that provides the British connection. Rabbi Helman (Hillman) had a son Moshe of Glogau Hillman, whose son was Noach Yitzchok Hillman. His son was Rabbi Shimchel Hillman, whose son Rabbi Mordechai Hillman had a son Rabbi Abraham Chaim Hillman. His son Dayan Samuel Jacob Hillman of London bears the name of his ancestor, Rabbi Samuel Hillman of Metz and Mannheim.
Here are the haskomos and some other pages:
Jewish Miscellanies 