Maadnei Melech V’Lechem Chamudoth [novellae to the Ro”sh, Rabbenu Asher ben Yechiel]

The author entitled his commentary Maadanei Melech based on Jacob’s blessing of the tribe of Asher (Genesis XLIX:20). The dual-meaning, thus referring both to the necessity of bread and to the delicacies of a king. Similarly, the dual purpose of the work was to provide legal decisions of law of relevance to all, as well as intricate pilpulistic arguments for the pleasure of the scholar - considered kings (“Man malki Rabanan”). However, the author’s detractors deviously misconstrued the meaning of the title as an insult to the reigning monarch and a portent of revolution. Indeed Heller was imprisoned shortly ,and thereafter judiciously altered the title to the more innocuous “Maadanei Yom Tov.”