Auction 78 - Rare and Important Items
Ein Yaakov – First Edition, Both Parts – Salonika, 1516-1522 – Hundreds of Handwritten Glosses, Extensive Aggadic Composition by an Unidentified Author
Opening: $15,000
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000
Sold for: $30,000
Including buyer's premium
Ein Yaakov, by Rabbenu Yaakov ibn Habib, two parts. [Salonika: Judah Gedaliah, ca. 1516-1522]. Both parts of the first edition, in two volumes. The first volume was published by the author and the second volume by the author's son, R. Levi ibn Habib.
First volume lacking several leaves. Second volume complete.
In the first volume, several glosses by various writers (mostly in Italian script). On f. 36, signature of R. Ezra Attiya (Syrian Torah scholar, dean of the Porat Yosef yeshiva).
The second volume contains many hundreds of particularly lengthy glosses, in Sephardic script [ca. 18th century]. These amount to an extensive composition on Aggadah by an author we were unable to identify. Some of the glosses are of kabbalistic nature.
In one of the glosses, the author mentions the Arizal as deceased (gloss on p. 389). In several places, the author refers to his novellae in other places.
Ein Yaakov is a compilation of the Aggadot in the Babylonian Talmud (and a few from the Jerusalem Talmud), with selections of commentaries by the Rishonim, authored by R. Yaakov ibn Habib, a Spanish Torah scholar in the time of the expulsion. R. Yaakov left Spain together with the exiles and settled in Salonika, where he disseminated Torah. He managed to print the first part of his composition, yet passed away before completing it. The second part was completed and printed by his son – R. Levi ibn Habib. Ein Yaakov was widely distributed, and became a classic work printed in hundreds of editions. Throughout the generations, special groups were formed for the study of this work (often dubbed "Chevrat Ein Yaakov"), and many compositions were written on it.
Both parts were printed without a title page. In his preface to Part I, the author describes the composition as "a book compiling all the beliefs, Aggadot and Midrashim… and it was given a new title determined by G-d – Ein Yaakov…". At the beginning of Part II, foreword by R. Levi ibn Habib, son of the author, lamenting the passing of his father. This foreword begins with the words "Beit Yaakov, please hearken…", and based on these opening words, Part II was titled Beit Yaakov (this became the title beginning from the subsequent edition, Venice 1547, and in following editions).
Two volumes. First volume lacking several leaves; partially damaged. Second volume complete. 28.5-31 cm. Vol. I: 7, 9-57, [2], 58-138, 140-144, 146-198 leaves; 394-405, [10] pages. Lacking 7 leaves (leaf 8 of first sequence and pages 392-394, 385-390, 401-403 originally bound after leaf 198). Last [4] leaves of this volume, indexes, were bound in Vol. II. Leaf 152 was bound out of sequence, after leaf 154. First 36 leaves supplied from a different copy (narrower margins). These leaves are in fair-poor condition, with large open tears affecting text (the first leaf is lacking half), repaired with paper and photocopy replacements. Rest of leaves in good-fair condition. Stains. Tears, some repaired with paper. Strips of paper for reinforcement to margins of several leaves. Vol. II (leaves bound out of sequence). [1], 3-40, 45-46, 41-44, 47-208, 211-212, 209-210, 213-228, 231-236, 229-230, 237-292, 295-296, 293-294, 297-421, [7] pages (final page blank); [4] leaves; [16] leaves. Following pages bound out of sequence: 45-46, 211-212, 229-230, 295-296. [4] leaves of indexes belonging to Vol. I were bound before [16] leaves of indexes of this volume. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains. Wear. Many tears and worming. Open tears to some leaves, and worming affecting printed text and handwritten glosses (with many paper repairs, primarily to first leaves). First and final leaves mounted on paper for reinforcement. Handwritten inscriptions. New, matching leather bindings.
Rare book.
First volume lacking several leaves. Second volume complete.
In the first volume, several glosses by various writers (mostly in Italian script). On f. 36, signature of R. Ezra Attiya (Syrian Torah scholar, dean of the Porat Yosef yeshiva).
The second volume contains many hundreds of particularly lengthy glosses, in Sephardic script [ca. 18th century]. These amount to an extensive composition on Aggadah by an author we were unable to identify. Some of the glosses are of kabbalistic nature.
In one of the glosses, the author mentions the Arizal as deceased (gloss on p. 389). In several places, the author refers to his novellae in other places.
Ein Yaakov is a compilation of the Aggadot in the Babylonian Talmud (and a few from the Jerusalem Talmud), with selections of commentaries by the Rishonim, authored by R. Yaakov ibn Habib, a Spanish Torah scholar in the time of the expulsion. R. Yaakov left Spain together with the exiles and settled in Salonika, where he disseminated Torah. He managed to print the first part of his composition, yet passed away before completing it. The second part was completed and printed by his son – R. Levi ibn Habib. Ein Yaakov was widely distributed, and became a classic work printed in hundreds of editions. Throughout the generations, special groups were formed for the study of this work (often dubbed "Chevrat Ein Yaakov"), and many compositions were written on it.
Both parts were printed without a title page. In his preface to Part I, the author describes the composition as "a book compiling all the beliefs, Aggadot and Midrashim… and it was given a new title determined by G-d – Ein Yaakov…". At the beginning of Part II, foreword by R. Levi ibn Habib, son of the author, lamenting the passing of his father. This foreword begins with the words "Beit Yaakov, please hearken…", and based on these opening words, Part II was titled Beit Yaakov (this became the title beginning from the subsequent edition, Venice 1547, and in following editions).
Two volumes. First volume lacking several leaves; partially damaged. Second volume complete. 28.5-31 cm. Vol. I: 7, 9-57, [2], 58-138, 140-144, 146-198 leaves; 394-405, [10] pages. Lacking 7 leaves (leaf 8 of first sequence and pages 392-394, 385-390, 401-403 originally bound after leaf 198). Last [4] leaves of this volume, indexes, were bound in Vol. II. Leaf 152 was bound out of sequence, after leaf 154. First 36 leaves supplied from a different copy (narrower margins). These leaves are in fair-poor condition, with large open tears affecting text (the first leaf is lacking half), repaired with paper and photocopy replacements. Rest of leaves in good-fair condition. Stains. Tears, some repaired with paper. Strips of paper for reinforcement to margins of several leaves. Vol. II (leaves bound out of sequence). [1], 3-40, 45-46, 41-44, 47-208, 211-212, 209-210, 213-228, 231-236, 229-230, 237-292, 295-296, 293-294, 297-421, [7] pages (final page blank); [4] leaves; [16] leaves. Following pages bound out of sequence: 45-46, 211-212, 229-230, 295-296. [4] leaves of indexes belonging to Vol. I were bound before [16] leaves of indexes of this volume. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains. Wear. Many tears and worming. Open tears to some leaves, and worming affecting printed text and handwritten glosses (with many paper repairs, primarily to first leaves). First and final leaves mounted on paper for reinforcement. Handwritten inscriptions. New, matching leather bindings.
Rare book.
Oriental Torah Scholars
Oriental Torah Scholars