Pachad Yitzchak [rabbinic encyclopedia]

Pachad Yitzchak is the most comprehensive and celebrated encyclopedia in the field of Halacha. Each entry includes material from the Mishnah, Talmud, Poskim, Rishonim and responsa literature (from 195 different Rabbis). The author, Isaac Lampronti (1679-1756) pays particular attention to the decisions of the Italian Rabbis, much of which had never before been published. The works also includes customs and relating to Italian-Jewry. The work has a lengthy printing history. Originally published from letters “Aleph-Mem” in large folio volumes in various parts of Italy from 1750-99. Letters “Nun-Taf” were first published in Lyck-Berlin from 1864-88 by the M’kitze Nirdamim Society in smaller octavo sized volumes. It thus took 138 years to print the entire set. See S. Brisman, A History and Guide to Judaic Encyclopedias and Lexicons (1987) pp. 159-60.