Physical Description

[2], 74. 34 ff. folio 380:230 mm., wide margins, light age and damp staining, small tear in f.2. A very good copy bound in contemporary boards, rubbed.

The approbations are granted to R. Samuel Shapira of Slavuta as printer.

Detail Description

Commentary on Shulhan Arukh on the laws of Gittin (divorce) by R. Moses ben Solomon ibn Habib (1654-96) of Jerusalem. There is approbation from the rabbis of Constantinople, R. Abraham Kimhi, R. Samuel ha-Levi, R. Hayyim Kimhi, and R. Yuda Rosannes and another from R. Hayyim ha-Kohen Rappaport, av bet din of Ostraha. The text begins with Hilkhot Gittin siman 119 and concludes with siman 129. In addition there is an addenda of kellalim, seder ha-get and seder halitzah. The text is comprised of the text of the Shulhan Arukh in the center and about it the detailed commentary Get Pashut. Although R. ibn Habib was well known for his erudition and scholarship in all areas of the Torah, his primary expertise was in the area of the laws of marriage and divorce and particularly in the thorny areas of the laws dealing with agunot ('anchored or chained' women). Get Pashut is one of two works authored by him in this area, the other being Ezrat Nashim, both standard references in these areas to this day.

R. Moses ben Solomon ibn Habib (1654- was born in Salonika. His father was R. Solomon ibn Habib, scion of a distinguished family that was forced to emigrate from Spain. Among his forefathers were R. Jacob ibn Habib, author the famous book Ein Yaakov and R. Joseph ibn Habib, author of the commentary Nimmuke Yosef. At the age of fifteen R. Moses ibn Habib moved to Jerusalem, where he enrolled in the yeshiva (academy) of R. Jacob Hagiz. He married the daughter of R. Yonatan (Jonathan) Galanti, whose son, R. Moses Galanti, the Rishon LeZion, was known as The Magen. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, despite his young age, ibn Habib was immediately recognized for his extraordinary talents. Such distinguished Jerusalemite scholars as R. Hezekiah da Silva, the author of Peri Hadash, R. Ephraim Navon, author of Mahane Ephraim and even his master R. Jacob Hagiz recognized him as their equal and maintained halachic discourses with him. At some point, R. Moses ibn Habib was sent as an emissary to the Jewish community of Turkey; however, other than the fact of his dispatch, nothing else is known about this period of his life. When his brother-in-law R. Moshe Galanti died in 1689, ibn Habib was appointed Rishon LeZion and head of the yeshiva in his stead. His colleagues on the rabbinical court (bet din) included the Jerusalemite scholars R. Jacob Molkho, R. Yom Tov Zahalon and R. Joseph bar Joseph. Rabbi Moshe served as the rabbi and Jerusalem and the head of the yehiva until the day he died in 1696, before his 43rd birthday. He did not live to see any of his manuscripts published. However, his grandson (his daughter's son) Rabbi Jacob Culi edited his manuscripts and saw to their publication. At the time there was no printing press in Jerusalem and R. Jacob traveled to Constantinople with the manuscript to try to get it published. Although he arrived there in 1714, the manuscript was only published in 1725, 25 years after the author's death. The publisher cited the help of Rabbi Haim Alfandari. His son-in-laws were the famous R. Jacob Culi (Me'am Lo'ez) and R. Moses Israel, the emissary of the communities of Zefat (Safed) and Jerusalem to diaspora Jewry.

Hebrew Description:

והוא ביאור על הלכות גיטין משלחן ערוך (סימן קיט-קכט) להרב... משה ן' חביב זלה"ה...

הסכמת רבני קושטאנדינה, ר' אברהם קמחי, ר' שמואל הלוי, ר' חיים קמחי ור' יאודה רוזאניש, שהועתקה מן ההוצאה הראשונה; ר' חיים הכהן רפאפורט, אוסטרהא, י אייר תקצ"ג.

Bibliography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_ibn_Habib; CD-NLI 0162041