Teshuvoth HaRaDa”CH [responsa]

HAKOHEN, DAVID, OF CORFU

Eliezer Soncino

Constantinople

1537

FIRST EDITION. Title within Soncino’s striking woodcut historiated border. On f.45r. former owner’s inscription, “Joel Chamitz” (see below). Marginalium on f.171v. and final page

Vinograd, Const. 160; Yaari, Const. 125; Mehlman 703; not in Adams

David ben Chaim Hakohen (beg. 15th century) was rabbi at Corfu and later in Patros, Greece. He was a disciple of the great halachist R. Judah Mintz (MaHaR”I Mintz). At times he clashed over halachic issues with R. Moses Alashkar and also R. Benjamin Ze’ev. The title page tells of the miraculous rescue of the manuscript from fire in the home of the author’s son R. Chaim Cohen in Adrianople (Edirne), Turkey. This collection of 33 responsa enjoyed immense popularity, going through several editions. See JE, Vol. IV, p. 463. There is a typographical curiosity on ff.182v.-183r. The text, unlike the rest of the book, is double-spaced rather than single-spaced