Sefer Issur VeHeter. With Signatures of the Rovigo Family. Ferrera, 1555. First Edition.

Sefer Issur VeHeter. With Signatures of the Rovigo Family. Ferrera, 1555. First Edition.

Most rare and complete copy including the 2 rare leaves of errata at the end of the book, which is missing from most copies.

This composition ranks among the most prominent of Sifrei HaAcharonim. Some erroneously attribute the book to Rabbeinu Yonah of Girondi. In fact, it was possibly authored by Rabbeinu Yonah, a disciple of Rabbeinu, author of Trumat HaDeshen.

On the title page appears handwritten signatures of the Rovigo Family:

“And this belongs to Yehudah of Rovigo yzv that G-d bestowed upon him.”

“He arrived at the Chelek HaNa’ala km”r Rephael Revigo.”

“Arrived at the Chelek kmhc”r Ovadiah Revigo.”

At the end of the book are additional handwritten inscriptions.

Both the Rishon Lezion, Kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Revigo and his brother, Rabbi Yisrael Revigo are among those who gave approbations to this book.

Issur VeHeter HaAruch (Abbreviated as או"ה or ‘Aruch’) is a composition on the laws of Issur VeHeter. The author wrote it as per the instructions he received from the MaHarash, teacher of the MaHaril. The book comprises 60 topics, 58 of which deal with laws of Issur VeHeter, and 2 that deal with matters pertaining to ill people and Pikuach Nefesh on Shabbat and Yom Kippur. Early editions may have been arranged in a question-answer format. This is suggested by the author’s statements in some places: “As I have written in the answer”.

There are two versions of this book; one of a manuscript pre-dating the period of the book’s printing. The second, from the era of the book’s publishing. The Rema quotes on a number of occasions, Halachic rulings from this book, which do not appear in the version, or have a different significance. The Rema himself notes this inconsistency.

The book includes glosses that are printed in the margins that were added by the printer, Rabbi Azariya ben R’ Shimon. He is referred to as Rabbi Zuskind of Pozna. These glosses mainly note other opinions of the Rishonim. These glosses are referred to by Poskim, although they were doubtful about these rulings.

This book is a primary source of Halachic rulings in matters of Issur VeHeter, and one of the main sources of the Rema’s writings on Yoreh De’ah.

The author’s identity is unknown, although we know it was authored by one of Ashekenaz‘s early sages in the era of Rabbi Yisrael Isserlin, author of Trumat HaDeshen. Some speculate the author is Rabbi Yonah Ashkenazi, some say it was Rabbeinu Yonah of Regensburg.

Rabbeinu Yonah of Regensburg was one of the leading Rishonim of Ashkenaz, and a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Isserlin.

Ferrera, 1555. Avraham Ibn Usque. First edition.

The printer, previously known as Duarte Finel, fled from Portugal to Italy after his hidden identity of a Marrano was uncovered in 1550. Ibn Usque was instrumental in the publishing of the Ferrera Tanach HaMehulal, the first edition of Tanach in Spanish. The majority of books Ibn Oshki printed were philosophical works. This book is one of only 3 Halachic compositions Ibn Oshki printed.

[174], [2] leaves. 21.5 cm. Very good condition. Light-colored, quality paper. Beautiful, unique title page

Vinograd, Ferrera 32.

Beautiful, Complete and Most Rare Copy.