Amudei Golah by
the Smak
First Edition
Constantinople, 1510
Kushta Raish Sefer yesod
Over 500 year old sefer!
Concise halachic composition on
imperative mitzvos and prohibitions, written in brief, summary form by Rabbeinu Yitzchak of Corbeil from the Baalei Tosfos.
This sefer is regarded as one of the most fundamental and widely-learned sefarim; an original, complete first edition copy, exceedingly rare.
Amudei Hagolah gained renown as a fundamental work already during the era of the Rishonim, as the Tashbetz wrote in his teshuvos (Vol. 1 Ch. 51): “The words of this sefer are completely pure, and they are worthy of being trusted.”
A significant portion of this sefer is an abridged version of the Sefer Mitzvos Gadol (Smag) by Rabbi Moshe of Coucy. Although the author named his sefer Amudei Golah, it is more commonly called by the name Sefer Mitzvos Katzar (Smak) due to its being a summary of the Smag.
Rabbi Yitzchak of Corbeil, one of the 13th century Baalei Tosfos, was the son-in-law of Rabbi Yechiel of Paris and brother-in-law of the Mordechai. He compiled his sefer in order to indicate the sources and detailed halachos of every mitzvah and stated his request: make as many copies of this sefer as possible in order to disseminate it among the nation.
The sefer was written circa 1247, following a series of calamitous events that befell French Jewry, beginning with the confiscation of Jewish books in 1240, the public debate between the Jews of France and Christian representatives, and subsequent burning of the Talmud and all sifrei kodesh in years 1242 and 1244 (S.Schwartzfuchs, Yehudei Tzarfat B’yemei Habeinayim pp. 121-218).
Due the terrible dearth of sifrei halachah that followed the tragic events described above, Rabbi Yitzchak authored this sefer and divided it into seven amudim (pillars) in order to motivate Jews throughout the Diaspora to study one pillar every day of the week; hence the name of his sefer Amudei Hagolah.
Constantinople, 1510. First Edition. Page Count: [146] leaves. Page Size: 19.6 cm. Title page with ornate border.
Condition: Two first and last leaves restored at margins; several other leaves very lightly restored in the corners of the margins. Water stains and signs of use.
Ornate red leather binding with gilded engravings and matching case.
Marginalia: Many leaves of this sefer feature annotations, amendments and additions in old Yemenite handwriting.
Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod #215
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