Responsum, Iyar 5570 (May 1810).
תשובה

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Reḳanaṭi, Yaʻaḳov Ḥai, 1758-1824, author.

Contributor:

Norzi, Isaac, 1743?-1835, scribe.

Karp, Abraham J., former owner.

Abraham J. and Deborah Karp Collection of Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)

נורצי, יצחק, 1743-1835.

Language:

Hebrew

Subjects (All):

Responsa--1800-1948.

Responsa.

Purity, Ritual--Judaism.

Purity, Ritual.

Dead--Religious aspects.

Dead.

Cohanim.

Jewish funeral rites and ceremonies--Italy--Venice--19th century.

Jewish funeral rites and ceremonies.

Jews--Italy--Venice--19th century--History--Sources.

Jews.

History.

Italy--Venice.

Genre:

Manuscripts, Hebrew -- 19th century.

Sources.

Penn Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Karp.

Physical Description:

1 item (1 leaf) : paper ; 280 x 385 mm

Other Title:

Be-ʻinyan kohanim ṿe-ohel ha-met

בענין כהנים ואהל המת

Place of Publication:

Iyar 5570 (May 1810).

אייר תק"ע.

Language Note:

In Hebrew.

Biography/History:

Reḳanaṭi (also referred to as Jacob Ḥayyim ben Isaac Samuel Recanati, or Giacobbe Vita Recanati) was a teacher, halakhic decisor, and rabbi who succeeded Jacob Emanuel Cracovia as rabbi of Venice; also a mathemetician and grammarian (his responsa printed in Livorno, 1812-3 under the title Pisḳe Reḳanaṭi ha-aḥaronim). Norzi (in Hebrew: (יצחק בן יוסף נורצי was an author and certified public translator of Hebrew for the Venetian government (Interprete della Lingua Ebrea).

Summary:

This is a manuscript responsum written by Yaʻaḳov Ḥai Reḳanaṭi to Isaac Norzi in Venice responding to a Halakhic question regarding the handling of the deceased in Venice, including the permissibility of Cohanim to walk freely in the city due to the many arches and passageways where there is a roof (and such a construction would present the issue of ritual impurity spreading through a roofed structure; אוהל המת, a corpse passing through a roofed structure, presents a Halakhic issue for Cohanim to be subject to ritual impurity under the same covered interior as a dead body). The responsum defends the older practice instituted by Samuel Aboab and Moses Zacuto of transporting dead bodies using a wooden device as to avoid the spread of ritual impurity; Reḳanaṭi instructs that this device must be used on the dead in cases for those who die on the Sabbath, so as not to spread ritual impurity in the building and city block, as well as additional issues surrounding the handling of the dead on Sabbath during the hot weather. Written over three folio sides (originally a bifolium now pressed flat); additional material written into the margins; strikeouts and additions above lines; Norzi excipit in three lines and signature below (what was originally the third side of the bifolium). Written in an Italian semicursive script; Isaac Norzi signature follows postscript (verso).

Cited as:

UPenn Karp OS BV.33.

OCLC:

1295443852