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In a compact size for easy portability. This basic text of Jewish law was often studied and appeared in numerous editions and sizes. The smaller versions were used by travelers to occupy their time during long journeys.
The Mai family were famous printers in Dyhernfurth. Dyhernfurth (Pol. Brzeg Dolny) is a town in Lower Silesia; from 1945 in Poland, near Wroclaw (Breslau). Its Jewish community dates from 1688, when Shabbetai Bass, founder of modern Hebrew bibliography, leased printing privileges from the local magnate who, in turn, held them from the emperor. A community was formed by 13 families, all employed in Bass's printing works. Both Bass and his son Joseph had to contend with the hostility of the Jesuits, but printing continued until 1762, from 1717 under Berel Nathan, husband of Bass's granddaughter Esther, and later under Esther herself. Other printing houses were established by Samuel b. Abraham Katz (until 1767), Abraham Lewin (until 1771), and Solomon Koenigsberg (1774–75) About 1780 Jehiel Michael May from Breslau established another printing-office, which, after his death in 1790, was managed at first by his widow Rachel, and his sons Michael, Simon, Aron, and Joseph, but later by Joseph alone.
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