(Ra”N). Shailoth Uteshuvoth [responsa]

GERONDI, NISSIM

Izak Deltash, Antonio Baldo & Samuel Sarfati

Rome

1545-46

FIRST EDITION. Wide-margined copy

Vinograd, Rome 18

Only seventy-seven responsa from this great commentator on Alfasi’s code are extant, and, similar to most compediums of responsa, reflect the Jewish life of the period, especially the economic difficulties of the Jewish Community of Barcelona during the second half of the 14th century. Unlike Venice, only occasional and short-lived Hebrew presses arose in Rome. Usually in abbreviated and sporadic bursts of activity, marred by assults of ecclesiastical intolerance. The Eternal City of Rome produced just eighteen Hebrew books throughout the entire 16th century. Antonio Baldo was granted leave to print Hebrew books in Rome by the Papal Vicar in 1546 and the present Responsa of R. Nissim Gerondi was his first endeavor. His Jewish partner, Solomon ben Isaac of Lisbon assisted by Samuel Zarfati did the work of editing, proofing and marketing the books. The press issued just five books in the two years it was operative. For a chronicle of Hebrew printing in Rome see: D. Amram, the Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy (1909) pp. 235-251. The publisher / editor R. Izak Deltash was a great scholar in his own right publishing his own rejoinder to a question for which their was no response from the author in the MS (see pp. 10-16)