Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod: Chiddushei HaRitva on

Sefer Yesod: Chiddushei HaRitva on Maseches Gittin Salonika 1758. First Edition.  Copy of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, Av Beis Din of Berlin * Chiddushim on Maseches Gittin by Rabbeinu the Ritva, one of the great Rishonim of Spain and one of the foremost commentators on the Talmud of all generations. A sefer yesod on this maseches, one of the most widely studied in yeshivos. The sefer was printed here for the first time after remaining hidden in manuscript form for centuries. The author, Rabbi Yom Tov ben Avraham Ishbili , was one of the leading Rishonim of Spain and a disciple of the Ra'ah and the Rashba. His commentaries on the Talmud are among the most important sifrei yesod, written with “great depth and clear, straightforward analysis” (Toldos HaPoskim [Chanes], p. 262). For a discussion of the attribution of this work to the Ritva, see below. Salonika, 1758. First edition. Page Count: [1], 65 leaves. Size: Large format. Condition: Good. A few stains. Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 54 (Maseches Gittin). - - - - - - - - - - A distinguished copy that belonged to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, Av Beis Din of Berlin. Ownership inscription on the title page: “Belongs to my revered grandfather, my master and teacher... the great and renowned gaon... Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, may his light shine, Av Beis Din of the holy community of Berlin.” Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Berlin (1721–1800) was one of the leading rabbanim of Ashkenaz in his generation. He was the son of Rabbi Aryeh Leib, Av Beis Din of Amsterdam and son-in-law of the Chacham Tzvi, and the brother of the renowned Rabbi Shaul of Amsterdam. He served as Rav of London, Mannheim, Halberstadt, and Berlin. His chiddushim were published in the sefarim Tzava Rav and Tzvi LaTzaddik. - - - - - - - - - - The Attribution of This Work to the Ritva As is well known, the authorship of certain manuscripts of the Rishonim has long been the subject of uncertainty. The upheavals of history and the repeated exiles of the Jewish people resulted in the loss of countless manuscripts, while many of those that survived are incomplete or lack identifying information about their authors. It is therefore not uncommon for a work to be printed under the name of one Rishon, but later examination of the text itself or comparison with other writings reveals that its true author was a different Rishon. Such is the case with the present work. For many years it was accepted as the work of the Ritva, and this identification was endorsed by the Chida in Shem HaGedolim (who, as is known, devoted considerable attention to questions of authorship concerning works attributed to the Ritva). In recent years, however, doubts have been raised, and some scholars have argued that the author is not the Ritva but rather his contemporary and fellow Spanish scholar, Rabbi Crescas Vidal, another disciple of the Ra'ah and the Rashba. Since the question has not been conclusively resolved, we have retained the traditional attribution by which the work has long been — and continues to be — known among generations of Torah scholars: Chiddushei HaRitva on Gittin.