Responsa of the Maharik – First Edition – Venice, 1519 – Printed by Daniel Bomberg

Responsa of the Maharik – First Edition – Venice, 1519 – Printed by Daniel Bomberg

Responsa of the Maharik, by R. Yosef Colon. [Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1519. First edition]. Missing title page and first leaves.
Colophon on the final page, with date and printer.

R. Yosef Colon – the Maharik (ca. 1420 – 1480), leading Italian rabbi in the 15th century and prominent Halachic authority. Born in France to R. Shlomo, a descendant of Rashi. In his youth he travelled through various Italian towns, serving as a teacher of young children, and already then began issuing halachic rulings. He served as rabbi of Piedmont, where he established a yeshiva. Ca. 1430 he was appointed rabbi of Mantua. His prominent disciples include R. Ovadia of Bartenura, R. Eliyahu Delmedigo, R. Yisrael Ashkenazi, R. Azriel Diena, and others. The Maharik owned a particularly large library, including unknown anthologies of Tosafot and books of the Rishonim. In general, he mentions more books and textual variants than any other halachic authority.

Trimmed glosses in several places from several authors (apparently a Torah scholar from around Eretz Israel in the 18th century; one may be in the handwriting of the Chida). Remains of a signature, with name trimmed.
Signatures to margins of first leaf.
At the beginning of the book are bound two leaves of indices, in late Oriental script.

233 leaves. Missing first [10] leaves, including the title page and list of Shorashim of the responsa. Two manuscript leaves bound at the beginning, with an index of sources from the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah and additional inscriptions. 21.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Many stains, including dampstains and dark stains. A few tears, including an open tear affecting text to one leaf. Worming, slightly affecting text, repaired with paper (worming to inner margins of some leaves). Old binding with leather spine. Wear, tears and heavy damage to binding.

Provenance: Estate of Prof. Ephraim Elimelech Urbach.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.