Shu"t Binyamin Zeev. Venice, [1538]. Glosses by the Author

Binyamin Zeev. Responsa by Rabbi Binyamin son of Matityah. Venice, Bomberg press. [1538]. First edition. Handwritten glosses by the author.

Incomplete copy, missing the first leaves and last leaf. Includes 17-574 leaves. Includes some of the leaves that are not in most copies because of censorship. Some leaves are double. Bound out of order. With an additional 7 leaves of indices in an antiquated hand.

Handwritten glosses on leaves: 271, 317, 344, 389, 391, 393, 456, 501. They were undoubtedly written in the author's hand.

The author was one of the leading sages of the era between the Early and Later Authorities. He published this work on his own; it was the first book of responsa printed during the author's lifetime. The author wrote that there were many printing errors. There are known copies that the author revised with his own hand, and there are other copies to which the author made additions in his own hand.

Rabbi Binyamin Zeev ben Matityahu, known as Rabbi Binyamin Zeev of Arta [c. 1475-1545] was one of the most prominent halachic adjudicators of his time. He served as rabbi of Arta, Greece. He was known for the halachic polemics in which he was involved. This book was also a point of dispute. Some Torah scholars did not accept his view; Rabbi Yosef Karo does not quote any of his work, and the Maharsha"l even openly opposed him. In contrast, the Rem"a quotes his work extensively.

Meir Benayahu wrote his Mevo L'Sefer Binyamin Zeev about this very book and its author, Jerusalem, 1989. In the book, he also details the comments that the author made in his own hand after it was printed, p. 161-162.

Moderate condition. Worming holes and aging stains. Tears in solitary leaves. Simple binding.