Bidspirit auction | ALFASI, YITZCHAK (RI’F).  Halachic Code

ALFASI, YITZCHAK (RI’F).  Halachic Code on Talmud Tractates Baba Metzi’ah and Baba Bathra. Hebrew manuscript written in a square Oriental hand, with some marginal notes. 13 leaves, 25 long lines. Wide margins. Five leaves with margins defective and repaired, some corners dog-eared, minor stains. Sassoon boards with Sassoon Ms ‘1136’ at foot. 8.6 x 11 inches (22 x 28 cm). Oriental, 13th-century. Provenance: i. David Solomon Sassoon (1915-85). See Ohel Dawid: Descriptive Catalogue of the Hebrew and Samaritan Manuscripts in the Sassoon Library (1932) Vol. II, p. 1081. ii. Sotheby's London, Seventy-Six Important Hebrew and Samaritan Manuscripts from the Library of the late David Solomon Sassoon, 21st June, 1994, Lot 12. Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013-1103) was the most important Rabbinic codifier prior to Maimonides. He is referred to as the 'Rif' derived from the initials of 'Rabbi Isaac Fasi' (Fasi, being his residence in Fez). He was born at Qual' at Hammad in Algeria and later settled at Fez where he remained until 1088 when forced to flee to Spain.  Maimonides refers to him as ”the great rabbi, our teacher Isaac, of blessed memory.”