Maadnei Melech V’Lechem Chamudoth [novellae to the Ro”sh, Rabbenu Asher ben Yechiel]

HELLER, YOM TOV LIPMANN

Moses ben Bezalel Katz

Prague

1628

First Edition. Title letters historiated.

Vinograd, Prague 325

The author entitled his commentary Maadanei Melech based on Jacob’s blessing of the tribe of Asher (Genesis XLIX:20). The dual-meaning, thus referring both to the necessity of bread and to the delicacies of a king. Similarly, the dual purpose of the work was to provide legal decisions of law of relevance to all, as well as intricate pilpulistic arguments for the pleasure of the scholar - considered kings (“Man malki Rabanan”). However, the author’s detractors deviously misconstrued the meaning of the title as an insult to the reigning monarch and a portent of revolution. Indeed Heller was imprisoned shortly, and thereafter judiciously altered the title to the more innocuous “Maadanei Yom Tov.”