Bidspirit auction | Responsa of the Geonim –

Responsa of the Geonim – Prague, 1590 - Responsa of the Geonim. Prague: Mordechai son of Gershom HaKohen, 1590. Second edition of the short Teshuvot HaGeonim, based on the Constantinople 1575 edition. The book contains four hundred brief responsa, beginning with an index. Most questions relate to civil law, while the others relate to marriage law. While this anthology of responsa preserves early Geonic material, most importantly fragments of Sefer HaMaasim Livnei Eretz Yisrael, it also contains many forged responsa (more than a hundred, over a quarter of the responsa in the book) which, rather than Geonic responsa, are adaptations of the Shulchan Aruch or other sources (see at length: S. Emanuel, Teshuvot HaGeonim HaKetzarot, in: Atara L'Haim, Studies… in honor of Professor Haim Zalman Dimitrovsky, Jerusalem 2000, pp. 439-459). Title page illustrated with various figures of humans, angels and lions, with the printer's device of Mordechai son of Gershom HaKohen in the center, depicting hands delivering the priestly blessing (see: Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, no. 38, note on pp. 137-138). On the verso of the title page is an introduction by the editor R. Shlomo Kabuli, and at the end of the book are concluding words and a poem by R. Menachem Egozi – both reprinted from the Constantinople 1575 edition. Signature on verso of title page (partially covered). Handwritten gloss. Inscriptions on last leaf. [46] leaves. 18.5 cm. Partially dark paper. Fair condition. Stains. Tears and open tears, to title page and other leaves, affecting text, repaired with paper (verso of title page and margins repaired with paper strips). Worming, affecting text. Close trimming, slightly affecting title frame and text of one leaf. Stamp on title page. Title page mostly detached. Old binding. Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.