15:31:12


[Login]   
[Book List]  
 
Bidding Information
Lot #    21910
Auction End Date    11/18/2008 11:09:00 AM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Responsa on Tur Even ha-Ezer (Maharhash)
Title (Hebrew)    שאלות ותשובות
Author    [Noted Copy] R. Hayyim Shabbetai (Maharhash)
City    Salonika
Publisher    Abraham ha-Ger
Publication Date    1651
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description		    First edition. [2], 222 ff. folio 280:190 mm., wide margins, usual light age and damp staining, old hands, few pinsize wormholes. A very good copy bound in later half leather and marbled paper boards, rubbed.
          
Paragraph 1    The copy of R. [Hayyim Raphael] Abraham b. Asher (d. 1772), Rishon le-Zion, kabbalist and scholar, member of the Bet El Yeshiva, colleague of R. Shalom Sharabi and other period kabbalist. The Hida in his eulogy referred to him as "one of the winged ones" a connotation for a very holy person. The title bears his signature.
          
Detailed
Description		    Responsa on Tur Even ha-Ezer by R. Hayyim Shabbetai (Maharhash, 1557–1647). Among the great sages of Salonika, Shabbetai was a student of R. Aaron Sason, and, from 1603, his colleague on the bet din. Shabbetai was Rosh Yeshivah of the Shalom community, many of his students becoming distinguished rabbis and communal leaders. From 1607 he was chief rabbi of Salonika. His opinions, sought from both near and distant lands, include a query from South America, the first recorded from the New World. Shabbetai’s responsa number in the thousands, this volume being the first printed selection. Many of his pupils became leading authorities such as R. Solomon ha-Levi, R. Isaac Barki, Hasdai ha-Kohen Perahyah, and R. David Conforte. Maharhash served as chief rabbi. In point of fact, he had been referred to as "the great rabbi" as early as 1622. He devoted himself assiduously to congregational matters, introducing many important regulations, and was regarded as the outstanding halakhic authority of his time, questions being addressed to him from communities near and far.

The title page has an ornate frame. The text, which is very brief, dates completion of the work to the month of Adar התיא (5411 = February, - March 1651). There are approbations from the rabbis of Salonika, R. Abraham Motal, R. Menaham Shalom, R. Daniel Ishtrosa, R. Hayyim Abraham ha-Kohen, R. Jacob Abrham di Botan, R. Baruch Engil, and R. Samuel Gaon, followed by introductions from Shabbetai sons, Moses and Shabbetai. The text is in two columns in rabbinic type, excepting headers and initial words which are in square letters. This volume has sixty responsa and includes Kunteres ha-Agunot. Among Maharhash’s other works that have been published are additional responsa Torat Hayyim (Salonika, 1713-22) on the other parts of the Shulhan Arukh, as well as responsa included in the collections of other rabbis. A very small portion of Shabbetai’s novellae on the Talmud were published in his son Moses’ Torat Moshe (Salonika, 1797). Kunteres ha-Moda’ah re-ha-Ones, originally published in part II of Torat Hayyim, a basic work on the laws of contracts entered into under protest and duress, was published separately with commentaries (Lemberg, 1798). Other works remain unpublished.
          
Paragraph 2    השייכות לטור אבן העזר מהרב... חיים שבתי זצוק"ל ובראשם קונטריס מחבר מאסף כל דיני עיגונא דאיתתא...

בראש הספר הקדמות בני המחבר, ר' משה ור' שבתי. הסכמת רבני שאלוניקי: ר' אברהם מוטאל, ר' מנחם שולם, ר' דניאל אישטרושה, ר' חיים אברהם הכהן, ר' יעקב ב"ר אברהם די בוטון , ר' ברוך אנגיל ור' שמואל גאון, ג אדר תי"א.

          
Reference
Description		    EJ; Goldwurm, Early Acharonim, p. 147; Heller, 17th Century; Margalioth, Encyclopedia II, cols. 535-36; CD-EPI 0168626

Enc. le-Toldot Hakhmei Erez Israel pp. 356-358
        
Associated Images
2 Images (Click thumbnail to view full size image):
  Order   Image   Caption
  1   Click to view full size  
  
  2   Click to view full size  
  
  
Listing Classification
Period
17th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Greece-Turkey:    Checked
Israel:    Checked
  
Subject
Responsa:    Checked
  
Characteristic
First Editions:    Checked
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
Other:    Signature
  
Kind of Judaica