Sepher Halachoth Rav Alfas [Rabbinic code]

AUCTION 19 | Tuesday, March 11th, 2003 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts and Works of Graphic Art

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Lot 3

ALFASI, ISAAC BEN JACOB (RI”F)

Sepher Halachoth Rav Alfas [Rabbinic code]

Complete in three volumes. Third edition. With commentaries. Title pages within woodcut architectural borders, opening words within white-on-black decorative woodcut vignettes. I: ff. 399 (of 400). Lacking final blank. First few leaves trimmed and neatly rehinged, scattered marginal worming of opening few leaves, scattered old-hand marginalia. II: ff. 401-782 (i.e. 781). f. 633 supplied from another copy. Paper repair to title slightly affecting woodcut, neat marginal repairs to first and last few leaves, trace marginal worming on first and last few leaves, scattered marginalia, old-hand annotations on verso of title. III: ff. 392;9,(1). Title silked, expert marginal repairs to first few leaves, scattered worming on last few leaves. Dampstained. Uniform vellum boards, crimson morocco gilt-titled spine labels. Folio Vinograd, Venice 34; Haberman, Bomberg 69; not in Adams

Venice: Daniel Bomberg 1521-2

Est: $30,000 - $40,000

PRICE REALIZED $38,000

EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND IMPORTANT EDITION. FINE CONDITION. R. Isaac Alfasi brought the Geonic period to a close. His fame rests on this great work, whose purpose was to provide a comprehensive compendium for ready reference to facilitate Talmud study. The RI”F is the most important halachic compendium prior to the Yad Ha’Chazakah of the Ramba”m. The work remains an important and widely admired Code. R. Joseph Caro regarded Alfasi’s scholarship with utmost respect and determined the laws in his Shulchan Aruch upon his authority. Indeed, between the 16th and 19th centuries when the Talmud was banned in Italy, Alfasi’s work was expressly exempted and so it became a principal subject of study among Italian Jews.