Pnei Yehoshua. Amsterdam, 1739. First Edition. Signatures and Glosses. Together with the Frankfurt Edition.

Pnei Yehoshua. Amsterdam, 1739. First Edition. Signatures and Glosses. Together with the Frankfurt Edition.

Renowned composition of the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Pollack.

“The one thing I took upon myself as a commitment and a vow at a time when G-d’s wrath was upon us, on the 3rd of Kisleiv, 1703, Lvov…I would immerse myself intensely in learning…(From the author’s introduction).

This is the first volume to be published from this comprehensive work. This is a first edition copy on tractates Ketubot, Gittin and Kiddushin of Talmud Bavli.

Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Pollack was the son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, Av Bet Din of Frankfurt am Main. He served as Chief Rabbi of a number of communities during his lifetime including Metz and Frankfurt. This composition gained acclaim as a deeply analytical work enabling comprehension of Sugyot of the Gemara. It sparked a change in how Gemara was studied, with a shift away from the classic ‘pilpul’ approach.

A total of 4 volumes were published; 2 of these were only published posthumously, in 1754.

With signature of Rabbi Shlomo Wolf Klein – Chief Rabbi and Av Bet Din of the Rhine Region, Alsace. He also one of the leading Orthodox Rabbis who joined Rabbi Shamshon Rafael Hirsch in opposing the Reform movement.

Additional dedications and signatures, as well as a number of handwritten glosses.

Good condition. Original, antique, leather binding.

Otzar Hasefer Computerized Database, No. 32713.

The additional Frankfurt volume: ‘Pnei Yehoshua’ on tractates; Brachot, Shabbat, Pesachim, Frankfurt am Main, 1752. This volume was the last one of the Pnei Yehoshua to be printed during the author’s lifetime.

This copy similarly belonged to Rabbi Shlomo Ze’ev Klein (1814-1867) Av bet Din of the Rhine region.

Otzar Hasefer Computerized Database, No. 57505.

The Chida, in his book ‘Shem HaGedolim’ writes:

‘Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua of Crakow, is the Torah giant, Av Bet Din of the holy community of Frankfurt am Main since the year 1741. He has gained global acclaim for his 4-volume pure work ‘The Pnei Yehoshua’ on Shas. I, the young one, merited basking in his presence for a few days. His appearance was like that of a G-dly angel, and he bequeathed me with the gift of the book Pnei Yehoshua on tractate Mo’ed, that had been printed here.”