Shu”t Tashbetz
First Edition. Amsterdam, 1738
Beautiful copy with ornate hand painted parchment binding!
Shailos and Teshuvos by Rabbi Shimon bar Tzemach, the Rashbetz, artistically bound in its unique, original colored binding.
The bookbinders of Amsterdam of the era were master artisans, and they bound this magnificent edition of the Tashbetz in high-quality dyed parchment covers that were individually designed and hand-painted resulting in each cover being a unique and original creation.
The cover of this Tashbetz is particularly unique and outstanding in its beauty, fashioned of hand-painted parchment adorned with gilded engravings, borders and decorations including colorful leaves and flowers in shades of blue, green, pink and white.
An impressive case was fashioned to preserve the delicate parchment binding. The outer case is wrapped in green paper with floral designs, while its interior is lined with colorful marble paper.
The Rashbetz, Rabbi Shimon bar Tzemach (1361-1444) was among the latter Rishonim in Algeria. He was a disciple of the Ran and colleague of the Rivash. These teshuvos were available to Rabbi Yosef Karo and he quotes them regularly in the Beis Yosef.
Why were the Tashbetz’s sefarim so magnificently bound and preserved?
“I heard that the…Rashbetz was privileged that his monumental work of teshuvos, Tashbetz, was printed and bound beautifully, superior to any other sefer. Since he was always meticulous to spread an attractive, high-quality cloth upon the sefarim that were open before him to learn from them” (Yafeh Lalev by Rabbi Yitzchak Palagi Vol. 3 Yoreh Deah Ch. 388:103).
Amsterdam, 1738-1739. First edition. [9], 91, 69, 68, [1]: [1], 36: [1] 101 [1] leaves. 31 cm. Marginal tear on top of title page with no damage to engravings, marginal holes particularly in the beginning and end of the sefer. There are two extant versions of this edition of Tashbetz. The present copy is the one with the rarer title page.
Stefansky Sifrei Yesod #270
Provenance: The William L. Gross Collection , Los Angeles – Tel Aviv.
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