Bidspirit auction | A rare responsum of the

A rare responsum of the Maharal of Prague. Ve-yakom Edut be-Yaakov – Ruling on agunot. Frankfurt am Main, 1719. - At the head of the pages: “Ruling concerning a chained woman (pask on an agunah).” The material includes: testimony taken regarding the murder of the husband, dated 21 Tammuz 1583, written in Yiddish, as well as two responsa. The first is attributed to Rabbi Yehuda Loew ben Bezalel (the Maharal of Prague), and the second to Rabbi Yaakov Pollak (signed: Yaakov son of Yitzchak HaLevi). The latter concludes the Maharal’s ruling with the words: “Thus was the ruling of my teacher.” His own responsum begins: “I was asked by my teacher, Av Beit Din of the holy community of Prague, regarding a chained woman, and his answer permitting her reached me, and I too was moved to permit this woman.” Frankfurt am Main, 1719. Printed by Anton Heinscheit. With the approbation of the Maharshaschach. Very Rare! The sefer contains two related compositions: the first is a responsum by Rabbi Yehuda Loew (the Maharal of Prague) and Rabbi Yaakov Pollak on the subject of an agunah, first printed in Prague in 1595. The second section, first printed in Prague in 1598, includes a eulogy by the Maharal for Rabbi Akiva Ginzburg of Frankfurt. Rabbi Moshe Darom, a dayan in Frankfurt, discovered the two works bound together in his family library and decided to publish them together. It is clear that the author is not Rabbi Yaakov Pollak the First, but perhaps his grandson; see Shmuel HaRishon, Shem HaGedolim, Maarechet Gedolim, letter Yud, no. 250; introduction of Rabbi Menachem Eisenstadt to the Ungvar edition (1865); see also Y. Yudlov, Teshuvot HaMaharal mi-Prague, in Sefer HaZikaron le-Rav Betzalel Zolti, Jerusalem 1987. 43 leaves. 16 cm.