Olath Yitzchak [Jewish laws in the interogatory style]

AUCTION 11 | Tuesday, November 28th, 2000 at 1:00

Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din

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Lot 61

ISAAC BEN JOSHUA

Olath Yitzchak [Jewish laws in the interogatory style]

FIRST EDITION. Title within historiated woodcut architectural border, including Priestly hands flanked by rampant lions (Yaari’s Printers Marks no. 38) ff. (14), 9-12, 21-68. LIghtly browned, stained in places, neat marginal repairs to last two leaves. Contemporary vellum, worn. Sm. 4to Vinograd, Prague 145; Mehlman 830

Prague: n.p. 1606

Est: $700 - $1,000

PRICE REALIZED $1,200

An unusual, novel collection of 843 riddles and problems covering the entire gamut of Jewish law. The style of riddle is often cryptic, involving lateral thinking. For example, riddle no. 732, based on Ba’al Hatrumoth, asks: ”If one has witnesses as to his actions, he loses - without witnesses, he wins.” Riddle no. 832, based on Reishith Chochmah, asks: “When should a scholar not be “tocho ke’baro” - his inside should not be as his outer appearance (two-faced).” Arranged in order of Talmudic Tractates and later Codifiers, with an index of some one hundred subjects.