Shailoth U’Teshuvoth [responsa)]

IBN TZUR, YA’AKOV BEN REUVEN.

Morocco

17th-19th century

Manuscript in Hebrew, written in various semi-cursive Sephardic hands on paper. With many marginal notes in the hands of R. Shlomo Eliyahu ibn Tzur and Raphael ibn Tzur, with signature or initials. With signed autograph leaves by the author (see below).

Although the major part of this volume was copied by a scribe, it does contain one SIGNED AUTOGRAPH RESPONSA BY THE AUTHOR (on the verso of the unnumbered leaf immediately preceding f. 1). The work is preceded by sixteen unnumbered leaves, including five leaves containing an index and nine autograph leaves in the hand of R. Shlomo Eliyahu ibn Tzur. ff. 25-26 are in the hand of the author’s great-grandson, R. Shlomo Eliyahu ibn Tzur. Many responsa contain a notation in a different hand noting the page number from the original manuscript it was copied from. Also contains notations in a later hand recording which responsa were published. Includes opinions of other Moroccan Dayanim including Yehudah ben Attar, Moshe Berdugo and Shmuel Tzarfati. Born in Meknes, R. Ya’akov ibn Zur (also referred to as Ya’abetz, 1673-1753) was a member of the Beth Din led by R. Yehudah ben Attar. After the latter’s death, R. Ya’akov was appointed Av Beth Din and Chief Rabbi of Fez. Many of his responsa were published posthumously by the Chief Rabbi of Egypt Raphael Aaron ben Shimon under the title “Mishpat U’Tzedakah B’Yaakov” Alexandria, 1894-1903. See S. Vanunu, Arzei Halevanon, Vol. II, pp. 1075-81.