Signed Letter – Halachic Response by the Gaon Rabbi Yossef Mitrani - The Maharit

Signed Letter – Halachic Response by the Gaon Rabbi Yossef Mitrani - The Maharit
Handwritten letter signed by the Gaon Rabbi Yossef Moshe Mitrani. [Constantinople, early 17th century].
This response on the issue of libel rules, concerning "Reuven who publicly criticized the communities' treasures" regarding matters in Romania and the Sephardic community in one of the towns in Turkey, was printed in Maharit Responsum (Part B, Yoreh D'ea Siman 16).
In his response, the Maharit rules that a joke as a matter of a verbal jest does not imply any disgrace. The Maharit tells two interesting stories about Rabi Itzchak Abuav (the Second) who was blind in one eye: "He was once walking in a field and sat on a rock, where two dignitaries were sitting, one on the right and one on the left, and one of his disciples was standing in front of them. The rabbi was telling jokes and turned to the disciple and said to him, "You speak now." The disciple said, "Let me sit." The rabbi said, "Sit." The disciple sat on the rock and said, "On one rock, seven eyes…" (a joke about four people with only seven eyes, referencing the verse in Zacharia 3:9). The Maharit continues and tells another story about the one eye of Rabbi Isaac Abuav: The King of Portugal said, "I have two eyes in my kingdom unlike any eyes in the world: The eye of the Portugal Bridge and the eye of the Rabbi."
Rabbi Yossef Mitrani, the Maharit (1568-1639), son of Rabbi Moshe Mitrani, the Mabit, was born in Safed in the time of "Beit Yossef" and was one of its leading Torah scholars. In 1601, he departed for Constantinople where he taught many disciples including Rabbi Yehoshua Benbenishti, author of "Sde Yehoshua" on the Yerushalmi, his brother Rabbi Chaim Benbenishti, author of "Knesset HaGdola," Rabbi Aharon Lapfa, Rabbi Chaim Abulafia, and others. After 20 years service he was appointed head of Constantinople rabbis. His famous book "Maharit Responsum" (Maharimat) was printed by his sons after his death.
Rabbi Yehonatan Eibeshitz and Rabbi Ya'akov Emden write that "He was the greatest of the 'Achronim' and an outstanding Torah authority" (see Kreiti U'Pleiti, Siman 110, Kuntress Beit H'Sefeikot; She'elat Ya'avetz Responsa, Yoreh D'ea, Siman 142).
2 pp, 21 cm. Good-fair condition, stains, moth damage and wear to the borders (not harming the text). Leather binding.
Attached is an expert confirmation concerning the comparison between this manuscript and other known Maharit signatures.