Sepher Benyamin Ze’ev [responsa]

BENJAMIN BEN MATTITHIAH (OF ARTA).

Daniel Bomberg

Venice

1539

FIRST EDITION. This Copy with the Ownership Stamp of Meir Loeb ben Jechiel Michael (MaLBI”M), With a Marginal Notation in His Hand.

Vinograd, Venice 167; Mehlman 702; Habermann, Bomberg 161; not in Adams

Of a somewhat disputatious nature, R. Benjamin issued this mammoth collection of 450 legal decisions largely as self-justification following a tendentious Halachic feud with David Hakohen of Corfu concerning Agunoth. The work contains a distinctly independent tone in its rulings, but is often cited by R. Moses Isserles, the ReM”A, thus ensuring for itself a permanent place in the annals of Halacha. Its’ historic importance lies in the insight offered concerning the social conditions and religious life of the Jews in Asia Minor. See M. Carmilly-Weinberger, Censorship and Fredom of Expression in Jewish History (1977) pp. 155-56; M. Benayahu, Prolegomenon to the Responsa Benjamin Ze’ev (1989) JIM: Place text below image on it’s own page.