Sefer Yesod: Shu”t HaRivash. Constantinople, 1546. First Edition

Sefer Yesod: Shu”t HaRivash. Constantinople, 1546. First Edition

 Copy from Rabbi Shaul Adadi’s Library. A most prominent book of responsa of the Rishonim: Responsa by Rabbenu Yitzchak bar Sheshet. 

Printed in Constantinople by Rabbi Shmuel Chakim HaLevi, a leading Rabbi in his time.

The Beit Yosef frequently quotes from this work, as do other Torah giants including The Chacham Bashi, Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim and the Knesset HaGedolah.

The book was originally sold in booklet form, part by part, over a period of 47 Shabbatot during the years 1546-1547. Each Shabbat a weekly booklet was distributed to those that had prepaid the fee. This explains why the majority of copies of Shu”t HaRivash are missing parts. The National Library has only one complete copy. Not everyone could afford the weekly fee, hence many bound copies are incomplete.

The Author: Rabbi Yitzchak bar Sheshet (Spain, 1326 – Algiers, 1408) was a leading Halachic authority. In his youth, he studied in Barcelona under Rabbi Chasdai Crescas and Rabbi Peretz HaKohen. He was an ardent disciple of Rabbi Nissim son of Rabbi Reuven, a commentator on the Rif.

Rabbi Yitzchak marks the end of the era of the Rishonim and heralds the beginning of the Acharonim era. As a prominent Halachic authority, he was a forerunner of numerous Torah giants in Algiers, including the Rashbatz, Rashbash, Yachin UBoaz, Mateh Yehudah and others, and his teachings are oft-quoted by them.

The Beit Yosef in his book Shu”t Avkat Rochel writes about the Rivash’s rulings:

“I have already spoken to you directly and also written that my great teacher would see the responsa of the Rivash and rely upon them more that any other Rabbinical authorities.”

Rabbi Shaul Adadi (1850-1919) was a one of the leading sages in Tripoli, Libya. He was the son and pupil of Rabbi Avraham Chaim Adadi. He toiled tirelessly to disseminate Torah in Tripoli, establishing a Talmud Torah and expanding the Yeshiva there. He used his personal finances to expand the Yeshiva’s library and supported many Torah scholars, enabling them to continue their Torah study. In 1871, he was appointed as Av Beit Din in place of his father.

Constantinople, 1546-1547.

303 leaves. 28 cm. Includes all index pages. On leaf 133, small tears on margins of the leaf causing omission of some words. Some of the last leaves are professionally restored. Page 282, a few individual letters are filled in. Aside from this, the copy is complete and most beautiful, and includes rare leaves!

Stefansky Sifrei Yesod No. 269

A rare copy of a most prominent book of Rishonim’s responsa!