MANUSCRIT. - Recueil des Loix, Coûtumes et... - Lot 130 - Giquello

Lot 130
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MANUSCRIT. - Recueil des Loix, Coûtumes et... - Lot 130 - Giquello
MANUSCRIT. - Recueil des Loix, Coûtumes et usages des Juifs de Metz, deposited at the Clerk's Office of the Parliament of March 11, 1743, in execution of the Letters Patent of the preceding August 20. S.l., between 1743 and 1770. Manuscript in-folio, one title leaf, 205 pages and 2 leaves, marbled basane, ornate spine, red title page (Binding of the time). Precious 18th century manuscript, of great interest for the history of the Jewish community of Metz. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Parliament of Metz began to judge directly the affairs of "Jew to Jew": it did so as a matter of principle and in order to extend its rights and privileges over the entire population of its jurisdiction, without distinction of religion. [...] But if the ordinary courts and the Parliament were to hear the civil cases of the Jews, as being the only legal jurisdiction, the royal judges were nevertheless to pass sentence in conformity with the laws, customs and usages of the Jews, and this is where a very great difficulty arose: the judges had no guide for the judgments to be passed in such matters. [...] The courts were therefore most often obliged to have recourse to consultations which they requested from the rabbis. To free themselves from this necessity, the Parliament of Metz ordered that "the elected leaders or syndics of the Jews of Metz should draw up a compendium, in the French language, of the laws, customs and usages which they observe with regard to their marriage contracts, guardianships, curatorships, majorities, the order of their inheritances, both direct and collateral, wills and other civil matters". [...] On March 11, the elected representatives of the Community deposited the collection of their laws and customs, Hebrew text and French translation. The Parliament, having examined this work, found that it could only be used with great difficulty by persons unaccustomed to the methods of Jewish casuistry. In order to make it accessible to the courts and to the people of justice, it charged one of its most distinguished members, M. Lançon, to recast it and to make a methodical collection that would be easy to consult. This second work was deposited in the registry and used in all Jewish cases. Many copies were made and circulated in the city until 1786 [when it was printed] (Ab. Cahen, "Le rabbinat de Metz pendant la période française" in Revue des études juives, t. XII, n°24, 1886). A copy of Nicolas Tabouillot (1734-1799), priest of the diocese of Toul and martyr of the French Revolution, with his handwritten bookplate at the bottom of the title: Ex manuscriptis D. Nicolai Tabouillot 1770. Restorations to the binding (hinges, headpieces, and corners)
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