Olath Yitzchak [Jewish laws in the interogatory style]

ISAAC BEN JOSHUA

n.p.

Prague

1606

FIRST EDITION. Title within historiated woodcut architectural border, including Priestly hands flanked by rampant lions (Yaari’s Printers Marks no. 38). Inscription of Judah ben Isaac Warburg, dated 1611

Vinograd, Prague 145; Mehlman 830

An unusual, novel collection of 843 riddles and problems covering the entire gamut of Jewish law. The style of riddle is often cryptic, involving lateral thinking. For example, riddle no. 732, based on Ba’al Hatrumoth, asks: ”If one has witnesses as to his actions, he loses - without witnesses, he wins.” Riddle no. 832, based on Reishith Chochmah, asks: “When should a scholar not be “tocho ke’baro” - his inside should not be as his outer appearance (two-faced).” Arranged in order of Talmudic Tractates and later Codifiers, with an index of some one hundred subjects