The Jewish book of civil law and commentary was condemned by a jury in Paris in 1240, and had other countries followed suit, Judaism may well have vanished from Western Europe. Convinced by Jewish leaders that such condemnation violated the principles of Christianity, however, Pope Innocent IV overturned the jury's findings. Here the story is told in a historical essay by Robert Chazan (New York U.), translations of the Hebrew documents by Friedman, and translations of the Latin documents by Hoff (Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies). Annotation 2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
