Sefer Takfu Kohen on the rules of comprehension. One of the most famous and important in-depth books of all generations, by Rabbeinu Shabtai HaKohen Katz, author of Siftei Kohen – the ‘Sha”ch.’ Frankfurt am Oder, 1677. First edition. Copy that belonged to the gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel HaKohen, av beit din of Ludmir, author of the book Challat Lechem . The glosses were written in Ludmir c. 1700 and were not printed.
Signature on the title page by the gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel: ” I was privileged to this book, the youth Yusha Heshel HaKohen, av beit din of the Ludmir community.” Written on page 5a at the beginning of the book, in faded ink, “With the help of my Creator and Redeemer I shall start … to study this precious work, and what is difficult for me to understand, I will note on the sheet, with Hashem’s help. Not, Heaven forbid, to contradict him, as I know so little, … just that I have not yet understood it, just to note this while studying, where further investigation is necessary … to understand these words properly, and what I have to question more … my heart must understand the author’s words completely, the youth Yusha Heschel HaKohen.”
Refer the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the author of the notes, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel HaKohen , av beit din of Ludmir.
In his book Challat Lechem , the author discusses words of the book Takfu Kohen dozens of times, and much of the content of the glosses here is identical to the content in his work Challat Lechem , and he occasionally even mentions his glosses in the sheets of this book here. See for example, in his book Challat Lechem , p. 144, where he wrote, “Look in my book Takfu Kohen , siman 58 … I wrote on his words that certainly … look at the responsum I dedicated to this rule …” and then look at this book here, in siman 58, page 40a in the gloss on this topic that begins with the words “Look in my responsum to this rule …” Another comparison: Refer to what is printed in Challat Lechem p. 311, and the gloss here on page 16b.
[2], 5-86 leaf. Incomplete copy. Lacking leaves 41-44, 87-90 (total of 8 leaves lacking). 18 cm.
Moderate-fine condition. Aging stains. Tears in the upper margins of some leaves (far from the text), restored with paper completions. Several cropped glosses in the margins. Some of the glosses are in faded ink. Elegant new semi-leather binding.