Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod: Responsa Avodat HaGershuni.

Sefer Yesod: Responsa Avodat HaGershuni. First Edition, Frankfurt am Main, 1699. Signatures. - Sefer Shut Avodat HaGershuni, a collection of responsa by the eminent Rabbi Gershon Ashkenazi Gershon Ashkenazi, one of the foremost halachic authorities of his generation. He served as rabbi of several of the most prominent Jewish communities of his era, including Nikolsburg (Mikulov), Vienna, and Metz. As stated on the title page: “Afterwards he was called to stand at the head of the glory of Israel in the magnificent community of Vienna; and when the splendor of that community was overturned and the children of Israel went into exile, the aforementioned gaon was among those who came [away], and was then accepted as Av Beit Din of Metz.” This passage serves as contemporary testimony to the expulsion of the Jews from Austria in the seventeenth century. First Edition. Frankfurt am Main, 1699. With a lengthy introduction by Rabbi David Oppenheim David Oppenheim, written during his tenure as rabbi of Nikolsburg and Brest-Litovsk. Following the title page appears an elegant poem by the author, accompanied by an expanded commentary. [8], 96 Leaves. 19.7 cm. Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 301. The title page bears the signature of the officer Rabbi Shimshon Ulma. Also present is an ownership inscription dated 1830 by Rabbi Yehoshua Wahl, recording that he received the sefer from the aforementioned officer. The author of the responsa Avodath HaGershuni, R. Gershon Ashkenazi (1615-93) was the rabbi in Nikolsburg and in Metz. At various times he was a disciple of the Mahara’m Shif, R. Heschel of Cracow and especially, R. Yoel Sirkes (Ba’Ch). He in turn, mentored R. David Oppenheim of Prague.