R. Judah b. Eliezer Minz, haLevi (c. 1408–1506), was a member of a family of scholars and bankers which derived its name from the town of Mainz, where he was probably born. It is presumed that Minz left Mainz in 1462 during the expulsion of the Jews. He settled in Padua where he became rabbi and rector of the yeshivah and where he remained until his death. In Padua he was taught by R. Asher (Israel) Enschechin, a German talmudist, who lived in the city during his latter years (Resp. Judah Minz, nos. 2, 3). Minz corresponded on halakhic matters with many famous rabbis of his time, including R. Elijah Mizrahi of Turkey R. Israel Isserlein of Wiener-Neustadt, R. Israel Bruna of Regensburg and R. Joseph Colon of Mantua. His responsa are a valuable historical source and reveal his involvement in the problems of his time. In his ritual decisions R. Judah leaned heavily on his German predecessors, but rather uniquely, permitted men to masquerade as women on Purim (ibid. no. 16). Minz's library and most of his manuscripts were destroyed in the year of his death during the sack of Padua. Sixteen of his responsa were discovered by his grandson R. Joseph b. Abraham Minz and were published in Venice in 1553 by the husband of his granddaughter, R. Meir Katzenellenbogen, together with his own responsa and the Seder Gittin va-Halizah of R. Abraham b. Judah ha-Levi Minz.

בשולי השער: באותיות שולניקי. ההסכמות שנדפסו בטופס הראשון מעבר לשער נשמטו והעמוד חלק.

הסכמות: ר' יוסף משטיין הרט, פיורדא, כד טבת תקכ"ו; ר' נתנאל אשכנזי ווייל מפראג, קארלסרוא והמדינה ומדינת באדין.