Responsa Pri Etz Chaim, large anthology of responsa by rabbis of the Etz Chaim Beit Midrash in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: published by the Etz Chaim Beit Midrash, printed by Proops and Avraham Athias, 1728-1741. First two parts, in three volumes.

An anthology of responsa by Torah scholars of the Etz Chaim Beit Midrash in Amsterdam, printed booklet by booklet, between the years 1728-1807 (about eighty years), considered the first printed Torah periodical.

As part of the educational and Torah activities of the Beit Midrash, a weekly periodical was planned for publication, including a halachic question and responsum each week – each responsum with a printed signature by the author. The halachic responsa were written by students of the Beit Midrash, as part of a program for rabbinic proficiency. The responsa were effectively a practical exercise in halachic decision-making. The responsa were usually printed monthly.

The anthology as a whole comprises 950 responsa, printed in thirteen parts (the overall tabulation was made by M. M. Hirsch in his Frucht vom Baum des Lebens, referenced below). Some parts had the responsa numbered in the book itself, but the numbering is inconsistent and varies between volumes.

When it was decided to print the booklets in 1728, they originally made use of older responsa (thus the first booklet contains a responsa written in 1691, and the third contains a responsum written in 1701); later, the responsa printed were authored soon before printing.

The present lot comprises Part I (divided into two volumes) and Part II of the anthology.

Part I contains the following responsa (numbering after Hirsch):

Nos. 1, 3-4 (beginning of 3 lacking), 36, 41, 43-80 (in first volume), and nos. 81-154, 157 (in second volume).

Lacking responsa nos. 2, 5-35, 37-40, 42, 155-156, 158-160.

Part II, comprising the original numbering of the responsa, contains responsa 1-55, 57-69, with responsum 56 lacking (Hirsch nos. 162-230, with no. 217 lacking).

Three volumes. Part I (Volume I): [10], 67-69, 84-85, 87-88, [1], [1] blank leaf, 90-92, [1] blank leaf, 93-96, [1] blank leaf, 97-101, [1] blank leaf, 102-115, [1] blank leaf, 116-123, [1] blank leaf, 124-217 leaves. Lacking approx. [20] leaves at beginning of volume, and leaves 1-66, 70-83, 86. Part I (Volume II): [1], [1] blank leaf, 219-223, [1] blank leaf, 224-230, [1] blank leaf, 231-233, [1] blank leaf, 234-244, [1] blank leaf, 245-247, [1] blank leaf, 248-250, [1] blank leaf, 251-259, [1] blank leaf, 260-262, [1] blank leaf, 263-265, [1] blank leaf, [1], [1] blank leaf, 267-273, [1] blank leaf, 274-282, [1] blank leaf, 283-298, [1] blank leaf, 299-301, [1] blank leaf, 302-304, [1] blank leaf, 305-317, [1] blank leaf, 318-324, [1], 325-327, [1], 328-333, [1] blank leaf, 334-343, [1] blank leaf, 344-348, [1] blank leaf, 349-355, [1] blank leaf, 356-358, [1] blank leaf, 359-361, [1] blank leaf, 362-366, [1] blank leaf, 367-369, [1] blank leaf, 370-372, [1] blank leaf, 373-383, [1] blank leaf, 384-386, [1] blank leaf, 387-389, [1] blank leaf, 390-392, [1] blank leaf, 393-397, [1] blank leaf, 398-404, [1] blank leaf, 405-409, [1] blank leaf, 410-420, [1] blank leaf, 421-427, [1] blank leaf, 428-430, [1] blank leaf, 431-435, 441-443 leaves. Lacking leaves 436-440, 444-455. Part II: 7, 9-15, 17-19, 21-23, 25-27, 29-38, [1], 39-41, 43-49, 51-61, 61-63, 65-71, 73-75, 77-83, 85-87, 89-107, 111-147, 150-176 leaves. Lacking leaves 148-149. The following leaves were not printed: 8, 16, 20, 24, 28, 42, 50, 64, 72, 76, 84, 88, 108-110 (in some copies they appear as blank leaves; in the present copy they do not appear at all). 21.5-22 cm. Varying condition of volumes, good-fair to fair. Some leaves dark. Stains, including dampstains and traces of former dampness. Wear to some leaves. Tears and open tears, partially repaired with tape. New parchment bindings (uniform).

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Exceptionally rare. To the best of our knowledge, the first two parts of this anthology have never been sold at auction. The NLI has most parts (lacking Parts 8-10, 12), but even the copies held have leaves missing, especially in Part I, including nos. 1, 3-4, which are found in the present copy.

For a full description and tabulation of all parts of the anthology, see: M. M. Hirsch, Frucht vom Baum des Lebens, Ozer peroth Ez Chajim, Berlin-Antwerpen, 1936.