Sefer Yesod: Pnei Moshe on the Yerushalmi
2 Volumes Seder Nashim and Nezikin
First Edition
Two volumes – Talmud Yerushalmi on Seder Nashim and Nezikin, with the commentaries of the ‘Pnei Moshe’ and ‘Mareh HaPanim’ by Rabbi Moshe Margolies of Keidan, one of the teachers of the Vilna Gaon.
This is the fundamental commentary on the Yerushalmi, alongside the commentary of ‘Korban HaEidah’. Hundreds of his textual glosses to the Yerushalmi were printed within the main text in many subsequent editions.
Approximately 1,400 years after the writing of the Yerushalmi, Rabbi Moshe was the first to write a complete commentary on the entire Yerushalmi, from beginning to end!
The author himself published his commentaries:
Seder Nashim – Amsterdam, 1754
Seder Nezikin – Livorno, 1770
Structure of the sefer: The text of the Yerushalmi is printed in the center of the page, with the ‘Pnei Moshe’ commentary on the inner side (similar to Rashi’s commentary), and the ‘Mareh HaPanim’ commentary on the outer side (similar to Tosfos).
Rabbi Moshe Margolies (d. 1781) was an extraordinary and distinguished Gaon, author of ‘Pnei Moshe’ on the Yerushalmi. According to the elders of Vilna, he was one of the Vilna Gaon’s teachers for several months during the Vilna Gaon’s childhood. He traveled throughout Europe and compared ancient manuscripts to establish the accurate text of the Yerushalmi. His commentary was widely accepted and continues to be printed with the Yerushalmi until today.
"The Pnei Moshe’s face [shines] like the face of the sun." (Malbim in his haskamah to the Zhitomir edition of the Yerushalmi)
"We already knew that this man Moshe was great among the Jews, and all his words are precious." (Author of ‘Shoel U’Meishiv’, ibid)
Two volumes; each maseches has a separate page count.
Condition: Overall good; some stains and holes. Seder Nezikin has an antique leather binding (restored). Seder Nashim has a new leather binding.
The title page of Seder Nashim bears the signature of Rabbi Chizkiyahu Raphael Chaim Alfandari, one of the sages of Constantinople in the 1700s.
Bibliography: Stefansky Sifrei Yesod, #116.
The Order of Printing of the ‘Pnei Moshe’ Sefarim on the Yerushalmi:
First printed was
Seder Nashim in Amsterdam 1754.
Seder Nezikin was printed in Livorno 1770.
Maseches Berachos
was printed later, but remained incomplete in print – Livorno c. 1775.
