Hilchot Rav Alfas, with commentaries and the Tosefta, a three-parts set. Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1521-1522. Three parts in four volumes (two incomplete copies of the first part, partially complementing each other).
First edition of the Tosefta, printed according to the order of tractates after the Rif pages of each tractate. This order is kept in printed editions to this day.
Second complete edition of the Rif, following the first complete edition printed in Constantinople, 1509.
In the second and third parts, in the margins, numerous glosses from several writers, mostly in Italian script (many of them trimmed). These glosses are characteristic of the use of the Rif in Italy, following the decree against Jewish books, which began with the burning of the Talmud in Rome on Rosh Hashanah 1553.
During those years, the study and printing of the Talmud were prohibited, but the books of the Rif were allowed for use. As a result, the main focus of study of Italian scholars during those years was in the Rif books, on which they tried to reconstruct the words of the Talmudic sages, based on the books of the Rishonim and various sources.
The first book composed then on the Rif was "Shiltei Hagiborim", which was first printed in the present edition. However, many books by Italian scholars were composed during that period on the margins of the Rif pages (on the decree against sacred Jewish books in Italy, see at length: Mavo L'Chiddushei R. Moshe Kazis, Machon Yerushalayim, 1888; E. Ya'ari, Burning of the Talmud in Italy; M. Benayahu, The Hebrew Printing Press in Cremona).
On the last page of the first copy of the first part, signature of the censor Antonio Francesco Enriques d'urbino, from 1687, and signature of the censor Pietro Martire (undated).
On the last page of the second part, signature of the censor Giovanni Domenico Vistorini from 1609. On the verso, signature of the censor Hippolitus Ferrarensis, from 1601. In this part, on leaf 592b, ownership inscription of "Eliezer Enten of Bodrogkeresztúr. On the last page, several signatures and ownership inscriptions: "R. Shlomo of Gam...[?]", "Avraham Katz Roth, student of…. R. Shmuel Ehrenfeld", "Belongs to the Chevra of Bachurim of the holy community of Margareten… the fifth district of Vienna". In the second copy of the first part, a bookplate of the collector and researcher Elkan Nathan Adler. Ownership signatures in the same volume: "…Yosef Mordechai...", and more.
Censorship expurgations in various places in ink and by scraping of ink.
Four volumes, including two incomplete copies of the first part, partially complementing each other. First part (first copy): 2-5, 7-34, 36-98, [187]-224, 226-230, 232-247, 249-398 leaves. Missing title page and leaves 6, 35, 99-186, 225, 231, 248, 399. Detached leaves 11-16 included (leaves 11-12 damaged, with large open tears). First part (second copy): 2-229 leaves. Missing title page and leaves 230-399. Leaves 185-192 bound out of place, after leaf 200. Second part: 402-454, 456-594, 596-597, 599-759, 761-780, [1] leaves. Missing title page and leaves 455, 595, 598. Third part: 367, [369]-392 leaves. Missing leaf 368, and missing 6 final leaves, with the book "Sha'arei Shevuot". An additional copy (damaged and detached) of leaf 3 is included. Approx. 32-37 cm. Condition varies between volumes. Second and third parts in overall fair condition. First copy of the first part and some leaves in the second copy of this part in fair-poor condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of dampness (with mold marks), and dark ink stains. Large, dark and severe stains on many leaves in the first copy of the first part. Extensive wear. Many large open tears in various places (especially in both copies of the first part), with significant damage to text (in several leaves most of the leaf is missing), partially restored with paper. Many open tears to the title page of the third part, with significant damage to the title frame, restored with paper filling. Detached leaves and gatherings (in both copies of the first part many leaves are detached). Worming with damage to text, some with extensive worming. Old bindings (not uniform). One of the volumes has a particularly worn binding, without spine.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
