The Rivash Responsa – Kushta, 1546 – First Edition – Nice Copy – Inscription from the Time of Printing and Glosses

The Rivash Responsa – Kushta, 1546 – First Edition – Nice Copy – Inscription from the Time of Printing and Glosses

Responsa by Rabbi Yitzchak Bar Sheshet. Halachci responsa on various matters. Kushta, 1546-1547. Printed by Eliezer Soncino. First edition.

The Rivash Responsa is one of the basic Responsa and halacha books. The author, the leading disciple of Rabbi Nissim (HaRan) and one of the prominent rabbis of the late period of the Rishonim. Was born in Spain 1326 and died in Algiers in 1408.

Due to its size, the book was printed and sold booklet by booklet, which were handed out to their buyers on Sabbath at the synagogue. This custom of selling large books booklet by booklet was customary in Kushta for approx. three hundred years, from the early 16th century to the early 19th century, one of its implications being that many books that were printed in Kushta were lost. This also explains why many copies of the Rivash Responsa lack the indices leaves (which were printed as a booklet in itself) as well as the colophon leaf [see: Ya'ari, Hadfus HaIvri BeKushta, p. 103, no. 145]. Before us is a complete copy including the indices booklet and the colophon leaf.

Signatures and inscription: on the first page of the indices leaves (blank page) owner's inscriptions and signatures – apparently, the writer is Rabbi Caleb Shmuel, one of the sages of Kushta in the 16th century whose name is referred to by the "Torat Emet" Responsa Siman 36 by Rabbi Aharon Sasson, who bought the book from Rabbi Shem Tov melamed, one of the leading rabbis of Izmir, author of "Keter Shem Tov" and "Ma'amar Mordechai" on the Scroll of Esther. Beneath this inscription appear another one by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Krispin (died in 1855), one of the greatest rabbis of Izmir, author of "Vayeshev Avraham" (Izmir, 1893) and "Avraham Bamachazeh" (Izmir, 1869).

Among the leaves of the book, several handwritten glosses by different writers.

[303] leaves, including the rare colophon leaf and the [21] indices and correction leaves that were bound at the end of the book. 27.5cm. Thick quality leaves. Good-very good condition. Stains. In several of the last leaves, slight restorations in the margins, not affecting the text. Slightly loose binding with a gilt inscription.