Shu”t She’aris Yosef . First Edition. Cracow 1590. Very Rare. Variant.

Halachic inquiries, responses and novella on the Mordechai by Rabbi Yosef Katz, dayan and Rosh Yeshivah in Cracow for over 50 years.

Cracow, 1590. First edition.

Harav Yosef Katz (1511-1591) was one of the great Torah luminaries of the late 16th century. Jews turned to him from around the world with intricate halachic questions. He discoursed in Torah extensively with his brother-in-law the Rema, as well as with the Maharshal and Maharam Padua. The Rema was married to Rav Yosef’s sister, and they sat together on the Beis Din of Cracow, as mentioned in Ch. 78.

Harav Dovid Ganz wrote the following about him in his sefer, Tzemach Dovid (Prague, 1562): “He was crowned with four crowns; the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, the crown of greatness and the crown of a good name. He authored halachic works and spread Torah in the faithful city…of Cracow. He was a Rabbi and Rosh Yeshivah there for close to 50 years, and he passed away at the good old age of 80 in the year 1591.”

92, [2], 32 leaves.

Variant. [2] Pages after page 92 were added to only a few of the copies after the printing of the book was finished, including four additional responsa (see: Y. Yodlov, Ginezi Israel, no. 724). In the present copy, three responsa are printed on the first page, while the second page is blank.

Overall in good condition, stains, marginal loss to title page border affecting text & with paper repairs, old paper repairs to margins of following 4 pages, small hole to page 16 affecting a few characters, last page with marginal tears. Full leather binding.

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Shu”t She’aris Yosef . First Edition. Cracow 1590. Very Rare. Variant.

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