Sifrei Yesod
Rare Volume: Contains Five Fundamental Sifrei Halachah [First Editions] and Sifrei Mussar printed in Cremona, Mid-16th Century
Antique volume encompassing 5(!) important compositions, all printed in mid-16th century Cremona. The earliest sefer was printed in 1556, the same year that the Hebrew press was established in Cremona.
Some of these sefarim are foundational sefarim, and three out of the five are first editions!
All five are considered rare items, and some are extremely rare, but a
single volume containing five rare sefarim is truly remarkable, virtually one-of-a-kind!
1.
Shu”t Maharil by Rabbeinu Yaakov Segal Moelin. Cremona, 1556. First Edition. This is a very important fundamental sefer.
Page Count: [7], 79 leaves.
Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod #271.
This sefer includes 205 chapters and is one of the fundamental halachic works cited frequently by both the Beis Yosef and Rema. The Maharil was one of the great Ashkenazic sages of the 15th century and his famous ‘Sefer Haminhagim’ is a primary source for the majority of Ashkenazic customs and practices in the past centuries.
2.
Sefer Tashbetz – Customs of Maharam of Rottenberg by his talmid Rabbi Shimshon ben Rabbi Tzadok.
Cremona, 1556. First Edition. Sefer Yesod.
Page Count: [6], 55 leaves.
Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod #243.
Legend relates that the Maharam of Rottenberg authored this fundamental sefer while kidnapped and incarcerated in the notorious fortress near Ensisheim in Alsace. The sefer contains 590 rulings and customs that were written by his talmid Rabbi Shimshon ben Rabbi Tzadok, who heard them directly from the Maharam himself.
This sefer is regarded as one of the most important Ashkenazic works of halachah, and the vast majority of its rulings are cited in later halachic works, including the Beis Yosef, Shulchan Aruch and Rema.
This sefer was called the ‘Tashbetz Katan’ due to its size, (and to differentiate it from ‘Shu”t HaTashbetz’ by Rabbi Shimon bar Tzemach Duran).
3.
Mivchar Hapeninim – Discourses on mussar, parables and aphorisms by Rabbi Shlomo Ibn Gabirol, with a commentary by Rabbi Shimshon Muny.
Cremona, 1558.
Page Count: 40 leaves.
This sefer was very popular in previous generations and was already printed during the incunable era.
4.
Even Bachan – Discourses on mussar and Hilchos Derech Eretz by Rabbi Klonimus ben Klonimus.
Cremona, 1558. Page
Count: 32 leaves.
This sefer was so enthusiastically received that it was often printed together with ‘Mivchar Peninim’. It also first papered in print during the incunable era.
5.
Tzri Hayagon – Parables, words of wisdom and poetry to soothe the aching soul by Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Falquera.
Cremona, 1557. First Edition. Page Count: 20 leaves.
This is a wonderful work guiding a person to exercise logic in order to stop worrying about the future and regreting the past. The sefer was enthusiastically received by all levels of the populace and was reprinted in many later editions with annotations, supplements and commentaries. It was subsequently translated into several languages.
The author,
Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Falquera (circa 1225 – c. 1290) was one of the acclaimed Sephardic sages of his era and renowned for his sefer ‘Hamevakesh’. When the public protested the Rambam’s works, he wrote a letter to his contemporary sages in France defending the Rambam’s ‘Guide to the Perplexed’.
Five Compositions in a single volume! Cremona, 1556-1558. All bound together in antique leather binding with remnants of clasps.
Size: ~19 cm.
Condition: Good. 2 leaves in ‘Shu”t Maharil’ are double-bound. Hole on one leaf with damage to several words. One tear (repaired) on a different leaf. Miniscule hole in last leaves. Light wear on binding edges.
Bibliography: Meir Benayahu, Hadfus HaIvri b’Cremona #3, 5, 17, 18, 11
