Responsa of Rabbi Eliyahu ibn Chaim – Constantinople, Ca. 1610 – Copy of Rabbi Aryeh Leib, Rabbi of Amsterdam ...

Responsa of Rabbi Eliyahu ibn Chaim – Constantinople, Ca. 1610 – Copy of Rabbi Aryeh Leib, Rabbi of Amsterdam (Son-in-Law of the Chacham Tzvi) and His Son Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Berlin

Responsa of Rabbi Eliyahu ibn Chaim (Raanach), Part I. "Constantinople" [Constantinople?: printer not indicated, ca. 1610]. First edition.

Copy with signatures of R. Aryeh Leib, Rabbi of Amsterdam (son-in-law of the Chacham Tzvi), during his first rabbinical position in Rzeszów, and his son R. Tzvi Hirsch Rabbi of Berlin. Possibly, the signature of his son R. Shaul Rabbi of Amsterdam also appears in the book.

In the center of the title page appears an ownership inscription handwritten and signed by R. Aryeh Leib: "G-d also granted me this, Aryeh Leib dwelling here in Rzeszów". At the top of the title page is an inscription by his son: "This belongs to my father, the great Gaon R. A[ryeh] L[eib], Rabbi of Rzeszów".

On leaf 6 (at the end of the index), dedication handwritten and signed by R. Tzvi Hirsh Berlin, who gave the book to his nephew R. Tzvi David HaLevi (Rabbi of Szczebrzeszyn and Cracow; son of R. Yitzchak HaLevi, Rabbi of Cracow): "Given by me as a gift to my dear nephew… R. Tzvi David HaLevi, son of my esteemed brother-in-law… R. Yitzchak HaLevi; Tzvi Hirsh".

On the header of p. 261b appears a signature: "Shaul son of the great, famous, excellent Gaon ---". Another signature on last page: "Shaul son of the great Gaon". [Both signatures may have been handwritten by R. Shaul Rabbi of Amsterdam, during his youth].

On the last page is another signature in Sephardic script: "Yaakov Alnaqua". On p. 157b is a gloss in Oriental script. On title page and endpaper is an inscription from 1887 handwritten and signed by R. Baruch Esman (author of Chad VeChalak, leading rabbi of Kiev who was also a book merchant), on its purchase, binding and price: "Sent to me from Munich in Adar 1887, and its price with the binding is 9 silver rubles… Baruch Esman". Stamps, signatures and various inscriptions.

R. Aryeh Leib, Rabbi of Rzeszów, Lviv and Amsterdam (ca. 1690-1755), a leading rabbi of his generation (contemporary with the Pnei Yehoshua). Son of R. Shaul Rabbi of Cracow and Brisk (son of R. Heshel Rabbi of Cracow and Lublin). After his marriage in 1707 to the daughter of the Chacham Tzvi, he studied Torah under his father-in-law who held him especially dear, as his brother-in-law R. Yaakov Emden relates: "My father the Gaon did not rest until he made him into a great man. This brother-in-law of mine nursed from my father's bounty and attended to him for years, and was also his scribe and copyist for his writings and letters… And he studied very diligently with a ready mind… And all the efforts of my father the Gaon were directed to growing him and making him into a scholar and successful in every way and by every means possible… Because he was their first son-in-law, the husband of their dear daughter, and all his efforts were focused on him" (Megillat Sefer, Bombach edition, pp. 88-89). The Chacham Tzvi displayed his exceptional affection in his approbation to the Responsa of the Rama he published (Amsterdam 1711), praising him as "my son-in-law, the young and wise, chief and lofty Torah scholar, wise beyond his years, son of holy ancestors". From a young age he was world-famous as an exceptional Torah genius, and in 1716 he was appointed Rabbi of Dukla. In 1724 he was appointed Rabbi of Rzeszów, one of the main Polish communities. In 1734 he relocated to serve as Rabbi of Glogów, and shortly thereafter, of Lviv. In 1741 he was summoned to serve as Rabbi of Amsterdam, where he served for 14 years. He produced many disciples over the years he served as Rabbi and yeshiva dean, including R. Moshe Margaliot, author of the Pnei Moshe commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi.

His eldest son, R. Shaul Lowenstam Rabbi of Amsterdam (1717-1790), author of Binyan Ariel, a leading rabbi in his times (the generation of the Noda BiYehudah, R. Yitzchak of Hamburg, the Vilna Gaon and the Chida). He served as Rabbi of Rzeszów, and starting in 1746 he began to serve as Rabbi of Dubno, succeeding his father-in-law R. Avraham Kahana (d. ca. 1741) and his brother-in-law R. Yitzchak Moshe Kahana (d. 1746; see: Ir Dubno VaChachameha, pp. 13, 22-23). After the passing of his father R. Aryeh Leib in 1755, he was appointed rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Amsterdam, where he served for some thirty-five years, which were the golden age of Torah giants in Holland. His home resembled a royal palace, and the Chida, who visited him in Amsterdam, describes the honor and glory the Amsterdam community accorded their illustrious rabbi. In Shem HaGedolim, the Chida seldom refers to the rabbis of his generation and their books, yet R. Shaul is mentioned in awe: "And I, the poor one, merited to greet the divine presence in 1778, whenever I passed by on a mission, and I merited to enjoy his Torah, humility and perfection" (Maarechet Sefarim, Bet, 99, Binyan Ariel). In the Cleves Get controversy which embroiled all European countries, R. Shaul's opinion was conclusive. His Binyan Ariel (Amsterdam, 1778) contains novellae on the Talmud and on the Torah.

His second son, R. Tzvi Hirsh Levin, Rabbi of Berlin (1721-1800), author of Tzava Rav. A leading Rabbi of his generation, he served as rabbi in Glogów, London, Halberstadt and Mannheim. In 1772 he was appointed Rabbi of the capital city of Berlin, an eminent position he held for 27 years. His biography and selected teachings are printed in Tzava Rav (Piotrków, 1908), and in an expanded edition with many additions printed by Machon Yerushalayim (Jerusalem, 2002).

His grandson, who received the present book from his uncle R. Tzvi Hirsh Rabbi of Berlin, is R. Tzvi David HaLevi, Rabbi of Szczebrzeszyn and Cracow (d. 1832); son of R. Yitzchak HaLevi, Rabbi of Cracow.

6, 272 leaves. 29 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains, mainly to first and last leaves. Worming. Marginal tears to several leaves, partially repaired with paper. Early leather and fabric binding, with fabric laces for closing. Wear and damage to binding (open tears to binding).

The location of printing is contested by bibliographers. M. Benayahu adduced proofs that the book was actually printed in Venice, apparently by Zanetti, with a false imprint to cover up the lack of license; this is disputed by Y. Yudlov. As for the year of printing, Sultan Ahmed I mentioned on the title page ruled from 1603-1617; some narrowed the date down even further. See: M. Benayahu, Turkish Presses that Are Really Italian Presses, Sinai, LXXII, 1973, pp. 164-173, 177-180 (Hebrew); Y. Yudlov, On the History of the Hebrew Press in Mantua in the 16th Century, Kiryat Sefer, XLIX, 1974, pp. 640-641 (Hebrew); Y. Hacker, The Emissary of Louis XIV in the Levant, Zion, LII, 1987, p. 32 and notes 30, 33 (Hebrew).

Part II of the responsa of R. Eliyahu ibn Chaim was printed in Mayim Amukim, Venice 1747, along with an anthology of responsa by R. Eliyahu Mizrachi.