Piskei Halachoth [Rabbinic law]

AUCTION 43 | Thursday, April 02nd, 2009 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Hebrew Printed Books, Manuscripts, Graphic & Ceremonial Art

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Lot 204
RECANATI, MENACHEM

Piskei Halachoth [Rabbinic law]

First Edition. First word within floriated surround. Several offending passages on f. 22v. (regarding Gentile wine) struck by Church censor. Wide-margins ff. (12), 62. Previous owners' signatures, stamps and marks on front fly leaf and title-page in Italian and Ashkenazic hands, including Aaron Deutsch. Some stains, small tear on left upper corner of title, signatures of censors on final leaf. Contemporary blind-tooled calf. Sm. 4to Vinograd, Bologna 12; Mehlman 787; not in Adams

Bologna: The (Silk) Partners 1538

Est: $2,000 - $3,000
PRICE REALIZED $2,200
The author was one of the foremost Italian Kabbalists and Halachic authorities of the 13th-century. For a full appreciation of his importance, see M. Idel, R. Menahem Recanati, Hamekubal (1998) pp. 79-80 quoting Prof. Y. Ta-Shema concerning otherwise unknown scholars cited by Recanti Later editions of the Piskei Halachoth have been heavily censored, indeed lacking entire chapters. See Y. Lipschitz, Piskei Hilchot Recanti in: Moriah,Vol. VIII nos.6-7 (1979) pp. 2-9, who compares all editions and notes that the most relied upon text is in fact based upon later incomplete editions and not on this first edition of 1538. The majority of the censored material pertains to Gentiles, or to Jews who have converted to Christianity