Sepher Halachoth Rav Alfas [Rabbinic Code]
AUCTION 65 |
Thursday, June 25th,
2015 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial Objects and Graphic Art
Lot 60
ALFASI, ISAAC (RI”F).
Sepher Halachoth Rav Alfas [Rabbinic Code]
Constantinople: David and Samuel Nahmias 1509
Est: $15,000 - $20,000
PRICE REALIZED $16,000
<<FIRST COMPLETE EDITION. OF GREAT RARITY. >>
Isaac Alfasi brought the Gaonic 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 HaChazakah of Maimonides, and indeed paved the way for all later codifiers. R. Joseph Karo regarded the Ri’f’s scholarship with utmost respect and determined the laws in his Shulchan Aruch upon his authority.
This Constantinople edition represents the earliest complete edition of the Ri’f’s magnum opus and contains important textual variances from the Bomberg’s 1521 edition. See Rabinowitz, Maamar Al Hadfasath HaTalmud, pp. 296-7.