Mishne Torah LaRambam, a full set of four volumes. Amsterdam, [1702-1703]. The most edited edition of the Rambam's books, the prototype edition for following editions.
Signatures and owners' inscriptions of Rabbi Elazar Lazi Rabbi of Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek and of his father Rabbi Yoseph and his son Rabbi Isaac Berlin.
Scholarly glosses [some long] and correction of versions in the handwriting of Rabbi Elazar Lazi. Hundreds of version corrections of the Rambam, the Magid Mishne and the Kesef Mishne [primarily, correction of censor's errors] in the handwriting of his son Rabbi Isaac Berlin. On leaf before title page, Rabbi Isaac's son wrote: "The glosses written by my father, Rabbi Isaac in the Rambam were undoubtedly written according to the manuscript owned by his brother-in-law Rabbi Chaim Michel [author of the book Or HaChaim]… ".
Inscriptions and glosses by Rabbi Isaac's Berlin's son, apparently Rabbi Moshe Berlin.
Rabbi Elazar Lazi Halberstadt (1741-1814) was born in Berlin (therefore called Rabbi Elazar Lazi Berlin) and was a leading rabbi in his times. He served as Dayan in the Beit Din of Rabbi Refael HaCohen in Hamburg. From 1799, he was rabbi of the Three Communities (Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek). He authored Mishnat D'Rabbi Eliezer. Corresponded with the Chatam Sofer concerning responsa (Ishim B'Tshuvot Chatam Sofer, page 78). [See attached material].
On these volumes, he signed Elazar Lazi and sometimes Eliezer Lazi. His correct name became a controversial issue between his son who called the book "Mishnat Rabbi Eliezer" and his brother-in-law, the renowned bibliographer Rabbi Chaim Michel in his book Or HaChaim (Page 235), "…and he called it Mishnat D'Rabbi Eliezer… and by thus he certainly differed from the owner's wish who was very meticulous not to be called Eliezer which is the holy name of Leizer, rather Elazar…”. See attached material.
His son Rabbi Isaac Berlin (1793-1865) was one of the great scholars of Hamburg and a master of Hebrew grammar. His glosses and notes on the machzor of Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim were printed in the 1838-1839 Hanover edition. Rabbi Isaac’s son Rabbi Moshe was also a scholar and rabbi in England. [See attached material].
Volume 1 – Mada-Zemanim: [9], 327, [4] leaves + [2] leaves “sketches… for laws of Shabbat and Succah and Kiddush HaChodesh”, bound in the middle of the laws of Shabbat. Two title-pages, first title-page with copper etching. Volume 2 – Nashim-Kedusha: [2], 227, [4] leaves. Volume 3 – [1], 368, [9] leaves + [1] leaf, illustrations of the laws of Kilayim. Volume 4 – [1], 309, [13] leaves.
37 cm. Overall good condition. Wear, stains. Damaged antique vellum bindings. Remnants of signatures on bindings (Rabbi Yoseph, Rabbi Elazar Lazi’s father).