Commentary on the Masorah, by R. Yaakov son of Yitzchak of Sandomierz. Amsterdam: Yehudah son of Mordechai and Shmuel son of Moshe HaLevi, [Chanukkah 1649].

This book was first printed in Lublin, 1616, and later with additions by the author's son in Lublin, 1644. Most copies of the Lublin edition were destroyed in the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-1649. The present item is the third edition, with additions printed by the author in Amsterdam.

The mnemonics for the date of publication in the title page, introduction of the author's son and colophon allude to the Messianic hopes of those days.

12 leaves. Approx. 18 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Marginal tears (pieces of paper mounted across the outer margins of the title page and other leaves). New binding.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Espejo de la vanidad del mundo ["Mirror of the Vanity of the World"], by Abraham Pereyra. Amsterdam: Alexandro Ianse, 1671. First edition. Spanish, with some words in Hebrew.
An ethical work comprised of five parts, discussing the nature of the soul, the duty to perform the mitzvot, fear and love of God, punishment in Gehinnom and reward in Gan Eden.
The book bears the approbations of three rabbis of Amsterdam, R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, R. Moshe Refael de Aguilar and R. Yoshiyahu Pardo; as well as praise for the author by R. Yitzchak Orobio de Castro and a poem in praise of the author by Daniel HaLevi de Barrios.

The author, Abraham Pereyra (d. 1699), a descendant of Marranos and a rich and influential merchant, lived in Amsterdam where he was a leader of the Jewish community. The present work was written to bolster Jewish faith, while making heavy use of Spanish Catholic political thought.

[16] leaves, 568 pages, [4] leaves. 20 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Small tears to title page (the leaf is mounted on paper for reinforcement). Large open tear affecting text to one leaf (repaired with paper), and a large open tear to last leaf, not affecting text. Close trimming, slightly affecting headers of leaves. New leather binding.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Principio de sciencia: ou, gramathica hebrayca por hum methodo breue, claro, facil, e distincto, by R. Shlomo Yehudah Leon Templo. Amsterdam: Ymanuël Athias, 1703. Portuguese.
Work for study of Hebrew grammar by R. Shlomo Yehudah Leon Templo (d. 1733), an Amsterdam Torah scholar in the early 18th century. Son of R. Yaakov Yehudah Leon Templo (1603-after 1675), known for his pioneering scientific work on the structure of the Tabernacle and Temple (which earned his family the name Templo). R. Shlomo Yehudah was a disciple of R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, and worked as a proofreader at the famous press of Immanuel Athias.

63, [1] pages. 20 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Parchment wrapper, slightly worn and partially detached.
Rare. To the best of our knowledge and research, this item has not been auctioned off in recent decades (the last documented auction took place in 1926).

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Maaseh Rav, practices of the Gaon of Vilna, by R. Yissachar Ber, posek in Vilna. Vilna and Grodno: Menachem Mann son of Baruch and Simchah Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1832]. First edition.
Originally printed with two title pages. The present copy lacks the first title page.
First edition of one of the most important books regarding the customs of the Gaon of Vilna. The book records the customs and rulings of the Gaon of Vilna, based on the personal testimonies of his disciples.

[1], 67 pages. Missing first title page. Approx. 20 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Light wear. Old binding.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Collection of Shulchan Aruch books, with commentary by the Gaon of Vilna:

• Ashlei Ravrevei, Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah, with Be'er HaGola and commentary by the Gaon of Vilna. Grodno: Yechezkel son of Moshe, Simchah Simmel son of Menachem Nachum and Simchah Simmel son of Yechezkel, 1806. Some letters on the title page in red ink. First edition of the commentary by the Gaon of Vilna.
With foreword by R. Menachem Mendel of Shklov, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna.
On title page (and p. 18a), ownership inscription in Oriental script of R. "Yosef Chalfon Atiya" [of Damascus, held a yeshiva in his house and owned a large library. He bought the library of R. Yisrael Moshe Chazan, when the library was transferred to the possession of R. Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari].
One gloss in Oriental script (p. 158a).
23, [1], 24-176 leaves. 33.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, affecting text. Tears and open tears to title page and additional pages, slightly affecting text, repaired with pieces of paper. Close trimming on the border of the text in several places, affecting text. Old binding, damaged.

• Apei Ravrevei, Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer. Vilna and Grodno: Menachem Man son of Baruch and Simchah Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1819]. Some letters on the title page in red ink.

The printing of Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna began in 1812-1819, yet was interrupted shortly thereafter, due to Napoleon's invasion of Russia that year. The printers only managed to print sections 1-25 (and the beginning of section 26), without the title page. In 1819, the printing resumed, and sections 26-178, the title page and forewords were printed and bound with the incomplete copies printed in 1812. There is a significant difference between the two printings. The part printed in 1812 contains only the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna with the text of the Shulchan Aruch, while the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries were to be printed as an addendum at the end of the book. In the part printed in 1819 however, the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries were returned to their place on each page. In 1819, complementary leaves with the above commentaries pertaining to sections 1-25 were printed (since these sections were originally printed without the commentaries). Concurrently, in 1819, a complete edition of Even HaEzer was printed, in which even sections 1-25 were printed in the new format (with the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries on each page). The present copy belongs to the first, exceptionally rare, edition (combining the 1812 and 1819 editions).

Signature on title page. Stamps of R. "Shlomo son of R. Sh. Kleinplatz, Rabbi of Malkin".

24, 23-55; 188 leaves. 35.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains (traces of mold?). Light wear. Marginal tears and open tears, not affecting text, partially repaired with tape. Original binding, with tears and damage.

• Maginei Eretz, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, with Magen David (Turei Zahav) and Magen Avraham, commentary by the Gaon of Vilna and novellae by R. Akiva Eiger Parts I-II. Johannisburg: Georg Stein, 1862. First edition of the Torah novellae by R. Akiva Eiger. Two volumes, one for each part. The present volumes are additionally bound with a title cover (undocumented in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book).

Part I (sections 1-428): [5], 318 leaves; Part II (sections 429-697): [3], 217, [1] leaves. 38.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear, tears and open tears, especially to first and last leaves (affecting frame of title cover of Part I), partially repaired with pieces of paper. Stamps. Old bindings, worn and torn. Binding of Part I disconnected and missing spine.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.