(MaHaRa”M OF ROTHENBURG). Birkoth MaHaRa”M [on the laws of benedictions]

MEIR BEN BARUCH

Jacob Marcaria the Physician

Riva di Trento

1558

FIRST EDITION. The Moses Gaster-Israel Mehlman Copy

Vinograd, Riva di Trento 5

This rare petite volume was widely quoted by later Codifiers. It's scarcity is evident from the fact that Prof. Louis Ginzberg in his description of the Mahra"m's literary activity (see JE) states that his work on the Blessings cited by his pupils, “is probably identical with the Birkoth Mahara"m issued in Riva di Trento.” Ginzberg evidently was unable to locate a copy in order to compare it with the citations he refers to. Meir of Rothenburg (c. 1215-1293), was one of the noteworthy Tosafists of Rashi's commentary on the Talmud and one of the great rabbis of the Middle Ages. He was born in Worms, and studied in Germany and France, where he wrote a eulogy after witnessing the burning of 24 cartloads of Talmudic manuscripts in Paris. He taught in several German communities, but is primarily associated with Rothenburg where he established a Yeshiva. In 1286, King Rudolf I declared the Jews to be servi camerae ("serfs of the treasury"), which had the effect of negating their political freedoms. Subsequently R. Meir left Germany with his family and followers, but was arrested in Lombardy and imprisoned in Alsace. Tradition has it that a large ransom was raised to release him, but R. Meir forbade such a maneuver for fear of encouraging the kidnapping of other rabbis. Thus R. Meir remained incarcerated and eventually died in prison. Ultimately a ransom was paid for release of his body, which was received for burial 14 years later.