Bidspirit auction | Rabbeinu Yerucham Sefer Toldos Adam

Rabbeinu Yerucham Sefer Toldos Adam V'Chavah U'Meisharim Venice, 1553 * Halachic rulings and laws by Rabbeinu Yerucham ben Meshulam of Provence. Rabbeinu Yerucham was one of the great Rishonim, a disciple of the Rosh. His sefer, Toldos Adam V'Chavah, was accepted as one of the foundational works of halacha, and there is almost no page in the Beis Yosef where his words are not cited! The sefer is divided into three parts: ”Adam” – Laws pertaining to Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah ”Chavah” – Laws relating to Even HaEzer ”Meisharim” – Laws of Choshen Mishpat The Chida writes in his sefer Shem HaGedolim about an extraordinary account passed down to him from the elders of Jerusalem — that this sefer is considered a hidden mystical work belonging to the hidden realm of ”Alma De'Iskasya” (”World of Concealment”); see there. Likewise, the Maggid of the Beis Yosef refers to Rabbi Yerucham as ”Yerucham Tamiri, ” meaning ”the concealed one” (see Maggid Meisharim, Parshas Vayakhel). The great significance of the sefer also lies in the fact that it serves as a primary source for properly understanding the words of the Rosh in their full context, as noted by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in his approbation to the Kapust edition, 1808. Venice, 1553. Second Edition. Page Count: 16, 13–238; [1], 2–104 leaves. Separate title page for Meisharim. Size : Large format; a thick and impressive volume. Condition : Good; several stains. Isolated small holes. New leather binding. Between the leaves of the sefer, there is a small slip of paper in Italian, dating from the seventeenth or eighteenth century, containing what appears to be a bibliographic reference directing the reader to consult the present sefer. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Throughout the generations, Gedolei Yisrael yearned to study this sefer, which was exceedingly rare in their times. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev wrote that the sefer could not be obtained, ”not even in a worn state.” Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin similarly attested, ”There is not a single copy of this precious sefer to be found in the entire city” (in their approbations to the Kapust 1808 edition). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On the title page, there is an inscription in Italian handwriting from approximately the mid-seventeenth century: ”Property of Avraham Yagel.” It would seem that this refers to the sage Rabbi Avraham Yagel (Gallico) of Monselice, described as ”versed in all the sciences, ” in the words of the Rema of Fano (Asarah Ma'amaros, manuscript, Ma'amar HaNefesh, ch. 29). He was one of the sages of Italy, and besides being a great Torah scholar and kabbalist, he was also a physician. He authored Moshia Chosim – a prayer composed for times of plague (Venice 1587), Lekach Tov – an instructional work for youth (ibid., circa 1595), and other works. He is especially known for his remarkable sefer Gei Chizayon, which contains invaluable information about his life and times.