Sefer Meisharim – Rabbeinu Yerucham, Constantinople 1516. First Edition. An Important Heavily Annotated Copy

Sefer Meisharim – Rabbeinu Yerucham, Constantinople 1516. First Edition. An Important Heavily Annotated Copy

Sefer Meisharim, Constantinople 1516. The first edition of Rabbeinu Yerucham’s work dealing with monetary laws. This is the very first work which Rabbeinu Yerucham wrote, beginning in the year 1330. Only at the end of his life did he write Sefer Toldos Adam V'Chava, which deals with day-to-day issues, such as the laws of Shabbos and Milah. Many of his rulings were ultimately codified in the Shulchan Aruch. He greatly influenced R. Yosef Karo, and is quoted extensively in both the Shulchan Aruch and Beis Yosef. 

Interestingly, although it was actually written first, Sefer Meisharim was only printed after Toldos Adam V’Chava in Constantinople, and was issued without a title page. In the second Venice edition which was printed in 1553, the printers added a title page for Sefer Meisharim, to indicate that it is indeed a separate work entirely, not merely part II of Toldos Adam V’Chava. 

An important, heavily annotated copy replete with many marginal glosses, additions and corrections, as detailed below. 

The Constantinople Edition

It has been established throughout the ages that Sefer Rabbeinu Yerucham belongs to the hidden world. Because of this, not very many people ever managed to author any commentary to this work. Those who did so, were unsuccessful in publishing their work, and some ultimately died at a young age. The Chida, in his work Shem Hagdolim, discusses this phenomenon at length, and quotes the Maggid who told the Beis Yosef, that Rabbeinu Yerucham is referred to as “Reb Yerucham the Hidden One”. 

Perhaps because of this phenomenon, many have observed that this first edition which was printed in Constantinople contains many errors, omissions and obvious mistakes. See, for example the words of the Chida, who writes (Shem Hagedolim, Maarechces Hagedolim Siman 382): “Truth be told, when I managed to obtain Sefer Meisharim in manuscript form, I was quite literally shocked how many mistakes and omissions there were in the printed edition, in comparison to the manuscript”. 

Likewise, R. Levi Ibn Chaviv – The Ralbach, also takes issue with the mistakes and omissions found in the printed version, and concludes unequivocally that one may not rely on it whatsoever, as he writes (Teshuvos Ralbach, Siman 109): “This work [Sefer Meisharim] has long been established as being full of errors, and one must be extremely careful not to rely on it on any Halachic decision whatsoever”. 

Please refer to the Hebrew description for the exact quote of the text. 

The Present Copy: An Important, Heavily Annotated Copy With Handwritten Corrections and Additions, From the Moses Gaster Collection.  

The present copy is replete with extensive marginal glosses in a Sephardic hand, probably from the late 17th century or earlier. Presumably, these glosses were added based on a manuscript which was in the hands of the owner, which include even entire paragraphs which were omitted in the printed version. This very much concurs with the testimony of the Chida mentioned above, regarding the stark difference between the manuscript and printed text. In addition to the many tens and tens of extensive glosses and additions, this copy also contains many textual corrections found throughout the work, highlighting the many mistakes as mentioned by the Ralbach in the 16th century. 

As such, the importance of this copy cannot be overstated. To the best of our knowledge, a heavily annotated copy such as this has never appeared at auction; a testament to the rarity of a copy of this nature. Likewise, of all copies which are held in public libraries, such as the National Library of Israel, there are none which are replete with glosses such as this copy. 

Printed at the Press of Yehuda Sassoon at the printing house of Shmuel Nahmias of Constantinople. His emblem depicts a small lion, and is featured on the final leaf. See also: Yaari, Hebrew Printing Marks, no. 8. 

Provenance: The Moses Gaster collection, with his signature appearing on the first and final leaf. Moses Gaster (1856-1939), a renowned scholar and head of the Portuguese and Spanish congregation of London. Throughout his life, he built a remarkable collection of Hebrew books and manuscripts, many of them held in public institutions till this day. 

In good condition, printed on thick paper. Light stains seen on some pages. Bound in a 19th century binding. Complete as issued; printed without a title page (see above). 

Page size: 17cm

122 pp.