Bidspirit auction | Or Ha-Yashar. The “Get of

Or Ha-Yashar. The “Get of Cleves” Controversy. Amsterdam, [1769]. First edition - A rare and highly important foundational work documenting one of the most famous and far-reaching halakhic controversies in Jewish history: the “Get of Cleves” affair. Before us is Or Ha-Yashar — a collection of responsa, rulings, and documents written during the years 5526–5528, dealing with this dramatic case. The material was edited by Rabbi Aharon Shimon of Copenhagen, described on the title page as “scribe and trusted official of the state of Cologne.” Printed in Amsterdam in 5529 [1769], this is the complete first edition, including the final leaf with the errata table, which is lacking in some copies. The year of printing is indicated on the title page by a chronogram, calculated from the phrase “Le-Ot Bnei Meri.” The Get of Cleves controversy began in Germany and rapidly spread throughout the Jewish world, shaking the rabbinic establishment of the 18th century. At its center was a bill of divorce given by a man whose mental stability was in doubt, raising the critical halakhic question of whether he should be classified as a shoteh (legally incompetent). The divorce was arranged by Rabbi Israel Lipschitz, rabbi of Cleves, and it sparked a fierce dispute among leading rabbis in multiple countries. From this controversy emerged enduring halakhic principles concerning the definition of mental incompetence in Jewish law. Generations of scholars continued to engage with the issue, and numerous responsa and studies were written in its wake. The volume presented here is a cornerstone source for the entire affair; the responsa it contains became foundational texts in the halakhic treatment of this subject. [7], 111, [1] leaves. 19 cm. Includes the final leaf with the errata table. Condition: Very good. Light age-staining. Attractive old leather binding. A rare, important, and highly desirable work — one of the key documentary sources for the great halakhic controversies of the early modern period.