Responsa Binyamin Ze'ev - Venice, 1538 - Corrections in the Author's Handwriting - Signatures

Responsa Binyamin Ze'ev - Venice, 1538 - Corrections in the Author's Handwriting - Signatures
Binyamin Ze'ev, halachic responsa and rulings, Parts I-II, by R. Binyamin Ze'ev son of R. Matitya. [Venice]: Daniel Bomberg, [1538].
This copy contains handwritten corrections of the author, R. Binyamin Ze'ev: on pp. 73b, 210b, 260a, 298b, 337b, 405b and 501b. On p. 456b, a lengthy addition in his handwriting, signed with the following words: "So it seems to me, the layman" (as R. Binyamin Ze'ev commonly refers to himself in his book).
Inscription in Italian script on the title page: "Corrected", presumably in reference to the author's corrections. Another inscription in Italian script: "This was allocated to Yehoshua of Modena, when he shared his books with his brothers in November 1556" (the name "Yehoshua of Modena" was deleted and is difficult to decipher). A third inscription (in Sephardic-Turkish script, from the 18th/19th century): "From the wealthy R. Chaim Yehoshua Soncino" (a gloss in the same handwriting on p. 276a). Censor deletions on some leaves. Handwritten censorship inscriptions on the last page.
This book was brought to print by its author, R. Binyamin Ze'ev son of Matitya of Arta, Greece, one of the greatest halachic authorities of his generation, and was the first book of halachic responsa to be published by its author. The book aroused great controversy due to several halachic decisions it contains which some leading Italian rabbis strongly contested, and R. Binyamin was dismissed from his position as rabbi of Arta in its wake. Some changes were made during the course of the printing, including the omission of sections 255-256 (at the end of part I) "in order to maintain peace", and their replacement with two leaves of new text. The book was proofread solely by R. Binyamin Ze'ev, as he writes in the colophon at the end of the book, and the great trouble entailed caused mistakes to creep into the printing. After the initial printing, R. Binyamin Ze'ev proofread and corrected some of the copies by hand. Great importance has been ascribed to this book in halachic literature, though some halachic authorities banned it following the opposition it aroused. It is interesting to quote the words of the Maharshal, his contemporary, who opposed relying on the halachic decisions in the book, and relates to the errors which in his opinion crept into it: "If he is righteous, why did G-d allow an error to come about through him? Was he not the writer, who brought the book to print in person?". The Rema, however, lists the author among the greatest halachic authorities and relies upon his decisions. (About the book, the controversy it aroused and the differences between the copies, see: Meir Benayahu, Introduction to Sefer Binyamin Ze'ev, Jerusalem, 1989). The last three leaves contain: a poem by Matityahu, son of the author (Thesaurus of Mediaeval Hebrew Poetry, III, p. 80, no. 245), and a eulogy by the author for his son R. Matityahu; the words of Yaakov son of Matityahu Foa in praise of those who assisted in the printing of the book.
367, [2], 376-399, 399-529, 531-575. Lacking leaf 530. 21 cm. High-quality paper. Most leaves in good condition. Stains. Traces of past dampness and dampstains to first gatherings and final leaves. Worming to final leaves. Early leather binding. Damage to binding, worming to back board.