Auction 93 Part 2 - Ancient Books, Chassidic and Kabbalistic Books, Manuscripts and Letters
Roman-rite machzor, with the Kimcha DeAvishona commentary. Two parts, year-round prayers for weekdays, Shabbat and festivals, with laws and Haftarot. Bologna: [Menachem son of Abraham of Modena, Yechiel son of Solomon of Ravenna and Dan Aryeh son of Solomon Chaim of Monselice, 1540]. Two volumes.
One of the most prominent machzorim printed in Italy. Only edition of Kimcha DeAvishona, comprehensive commentary to prayers and piyyutim, by R. Yochanan son of R. Yosef Treves (the commentary was published anonymously).
The second volume contains many dozens of handwritten glosses, by several Italian Torah scholars (some identified, see below). The glosses comprise commentaries, kabbalistic kavanot, customs, tikkunim and textual variations.
Glosses by R. Eliyahu Aharon Lattes (d. 1839), rabbi in Turin and Venice; gloss signed Y.Ch.C. – presumably R. Yisrael Chaim Carpi, rabbi in Conegliano, authored Meorot Natan in 1769; several glosses signed A.Sh.L.F – R. Avraham Shimshon Levi Fubini, a Turin Torah scholar, his responsa were published in Pachad Yitzchak and Responsa Shemesh Tzedakah.
Inscription on title page and final page of vol. II.
On the verso of the title page, instructions and prayers for Shabbat and the High Holidays, following the rite of the Ferrara community.
Detailed birth records on the front endpaper, from 1815-1883, mentioning various family members of the writer. Death records from the same family from 1841-1858.
Ownership inscription in French at the end of the first volume: "Israel Malvano". There was a R. Yisrael Malvano who disseminated Torah at the end of the 18th century in Carmagnola (Piedmont).
Vol. I: [185] leaves. Lacking [12] leaves at beginning (partially replaced in handwriting) and leaves [16, 28-29]; Vol. II: [189] leaves. 27-28 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears, open tears and defects, affecting text, repaired in part with paper (handwritten text replacement in a few places). Leaves of vol. II trimmed close to text in several places, with damage to text and some glosses. Inscriptions. Censorship expurgations. Old bindings, damaged.
Roman-rite machzor, with the Kimcha DeAvishona commentary. Prayers and piyyutim for weekdays, Shabbat and festivals. Including: Passover Haggadah, Tractate Avot with the commentaries of the Rambam and "the leading physician Rabbenu Ovadia of Sforno". Bologna: [Menachem son of Abraham of Modena, Yechiel son of Solomon of Ravenna and Dan Aryeh son of Solomon Chaim of Monselice], [1540]. Two parts in two volumes. First edition of the commentary of R. Ovadia Sforno to Tractate Avot, printed in his lifetime.
One of the most prominent machzorim printed in Italy. First edition of Kimcha DeAvishona, comprehensive commentary to prayers and piyyutim, by R. Yochanan son of R. Yosef Treves (the commentary was published anonymously).
Both volumes contain hundreds of handwritten glosses in cursive Italian script (some trimmed). In several places, the writer mentions his city – Pesaro. The glosses include commentaries and objections, textual corrections, laws and customs.
One gloss quotes R. Binyamin Vitali Kohen – the Rabach (referred to as amongst the living).
The writer quotes in one place the work Maccabi by R. Yaakov Yisrael Finzi of Recanati, a work which remained in manuscript form until this day.
On the verso of the title page of vol. I, inscription in Italian from the leaders of the Somech Noflim society in Pesaro, dated December 1726.
Five handwritten leaves (in various scripts) bound at the end of part II, with additional texts.
The second volume includes one gathering of eight leaves (gathering 9) printed on parchment (some copies were entirely printed on parchment). Printed leaves pasted over parchment at beginning and end of gathering.
Censorship signatures at the end of vol. II, and censorship expurgations (with open tears in some places due to ink erosion).
Two parts in two volumes. Vol. I: [199] leaves. Lacking one leaf in middle (first leaf of second gathering). Vol. II: [189] leaves. 37.5 cm. Overall fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of past dampness. Wear. Extensive worming, affecting text. Tears, including open tears, affecting text, repaired with paper (with handwritten text replacement in several places). Marginal paper repairs to some leaves. Leaves trimmed with damage to edges of engraved title pages, and with slight damage to text in several places. Early leather bindings, damaged, with worming and tears.
Less than twenty Hebrew books were ever printed in Bologna. This machzor was one of the last books printed there.
Provenance: Estate of Prof. Ephraim Elimelech Urbach.
Seder Maamadot, arranged according to the days of the week, printed upon the request of R. Yaakov Kohen della Man. Venice: Giovanni Cajon for Pietro and Lorenzo Bragadin, [1616].
48, [4] leaves. Approx. 15 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear. Minor tears, repaired with paper. Leaves trimmed with damaged to engraved title page border, headings, and catchwords. New binding.
Rare edition. Listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book based on a copy from a private collection.
Siddur MiBeracha, following the Ashkenazi rite, order of blessings. Mantua: Sons of Joshua of Perugia, 1670.
Not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book nor in the NLI catalog. Similar to the Italian rite Siddur MiBracha published concurrently in the same press, though with many variations.
Bound with another, unidentified edition of Siddur MiBracha (lacking title page).
1670 edition: 56, 58-60, 63-66 leaves. Lacking leaves 57, 61-62. Unidentified edition: 2-7, 9-32, 34-39, 50-55, 57-88 leaves. Lacking: title page and leaves 8, 33, 40-49, 56. Approx. 14 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming and a few tiny tears, affecting text and title page border, repaired in part with paper. Old, worn binding, with worming.
Derech Yeshara siddur with Tehillim and Maamadot, Ashkenazi rite, compiled by R. Yechiel Michel Epstein, author of Kitzur Shelah. Amsterdam: Hertz Levi son of Siskind Segal, [1733-1734].
The book opens with a copper engraved general title page, followed by a more detailed title page (date 1734), approbations, foreword and table of contents. In the present copy, these leaves are followed by an earlier variant of the detailed title page (dated 1733) and approbations, with significant variations, and an additional leaf with the foreword (in a different layout).
Divisional title pages for the book of Tehillim and Maamadot (dated 1733).
Bound in various places in the book: two handwritten leaves with additional prayers; several leaves from a different edition of the siddur.
[7], 207, 139, 18; 10 leaves. 23.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Wear. Tears to title pages and other leaves. Large open tears to several leaves, affecting text (repaired in part with old paper repairs). Inscriptions, signatures and stamps. Early leather and wooden binding, damaged, with clasp remnants.
Chessed LeAvraham – siddur Kavanot HaAri, "Three books… weekday prayers and Shabbat offering and Rosh Chodesh offering… from the writings of the Arizal…". Mantua: Eliezer Solomon of Italy, [1783].
Siddur with commentary, practices and detailed kavanot, compiled by the kabbalist R. Avraham Tubiana of Algiers, based on the writings of the Arizal and his disciples.
[1], 140 leaves. Extra copies of three leaves following title page (leaves at beginning of volume provided from a different copy, original leaves bound out of sequence, between leaves 137-138; final two leaves also provided from a different copy). 21.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Tears and open tears, slightly affecting text and title page border, repaired in part with paper. Inscriptions. New binding.
Siddur with the kavanot of the Arizal, for weekday, Shabbat and festival, by R. Shabtai of Rashkov, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Two parts in one volume. Lviv: A. Druker, 1866.
Bound at the end of the siddur: first edition of Minchat Yitzchak – errata of the many errors found in the first edition of Siddur R. Shabtai (Korets 1794), compiled by R. Yitzchak Segal of Berzan.
On p. 76a (of third sequence), stamp of R. Shneur Tzvi son of R. Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn, fifth generation descendant of Rebbe Rashab.
[56], 57-130; [4], 104; 114; [1], 11 leaves. 21 cm. Fair condition. Many stains (including dark stains). Worming, affecting text. Marginal tears and open tears to title page and several other leaves (large open tear to final leaf), affecting text and border, repaired in part with paper. Printing defect to one leaf, affecting text. Margins of several leaves trimmed. Stamps. New binding.
Tefillah LeMoshe siddur, year-round prayers in Sefard-Chassidic rite, with the kabbalistic Tefillah LeMoshe commentary by R. Moshe Cordovero (the Remak). Includes Or HaYashar – ethical and Chassidic conduct according to kabbalah, by R. Meir Poppers, and Derech Chaim on the laws of prayer by R. Yaakov of Lissa. Premishla (Przemyśl): Zupnik, Knoller and Hammerschmidt, 1892. First edition. Two parts in two volumes.
Prominent Chassidic leaders extol the virtues of this siddur in their approbations, assuring that it will surely bring blessing into the home. Rebbe Uri of Sambor wrote: "whoever takes the holy siddur will be blessed with sons, life and abundant sustenance, and that it will serve as a protection for his home".
Vol. I: [8], 24; 189, [4], 190-286 leaves; Vol. II: [287]-432; 8; [1], 48, [3] leaves. 22 cm. Slightly browned paper. Overall fair-good condition. Stains, including dark stains. Worming, affecting text (primarily to first leaves of vol. I). Minor marginal tears to several leaves. Stamps. New bindings.
[4] leaves with Shir HaShirim, bound in the present copy between leaves 189-190, are not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book nor in the NLI (though they do appear in the digitized Chabad Library copy in HebrewBooks).
Year-round siddur following the Ashkenazi rite, with the Olat Tamid commentary by R. Natan Nata of Shinova, author of Kishutei Kallah, and with the Arugat HaBosem commentary on Shir HaShirim by R. Moshe Ostrer. Premishla (Przemyśl): Zupnik, Knoller & Wolf, 1896.
In his approbation, R. Avraham Rabbi of Kriftch (Krzywcza) writes: "I am assured that whoever prayers from the siddur with its holy commentaries, his prayer will not go unanswered".
Bound with: Book of Tehillim, arranged according to days of the weeks and of the month. Warsaw, 1879.
[4], 41, 43-90; 64; 66; 78 leaves. Tehillim: 53, [1] leaves. Lacking several leaves in middle of Tehillim. 22.5 cm. Dry, somewhat brittle paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Tears, including some open tears affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Stamps and handwritten inscriptions. Old binding, with leather spine and new endpapers.