Joseph Ottolenghi. Simanei VeKitzurei HaMordechai.

(SHABTHAI BEN MEIR HAKOHEN [THE SHA”CH])

(Jacob Marcaria

Riva di Trento

1559

THE SHABBETAI BEN MEIR HAKOHEN [The SHA”CH] COPY. With his signature on the title: “Shabbetai ben le’a[doni] a[vi] hagaon mor[einu] har[av] r[eb] Meir Katz shlita.” With his autograph marginal note on f. 95b.

Vinograd, Riva 11.

R. Shabthai ben Meir HaKohen (1621-62) is the famed author of Sifthei Kohen (Sha”ch), arguably the most important commentary on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah. A prior owner of this volume, the collector par-excellence Dr. Israel Mehlman, notes the marginal note on f. 95b is in the hand of the Sha”ch who writes “Besiphri hochachti…” (In my book I proved.) Usually this refers to the Shach’s lengthier work on Yoreh Deah published by his grandson under the title Sepher Ha’Aruch MeShach, (Berlin, 1767), however, the publisher states that certain parts were missing from his copy including siman 104 where the note concerning this subject would be.