Auction 88 - Part I - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art

Jerusalem Talmud – Complete Set – Zhitomir, 1860-1867 – Glosses by Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik HaLevi, Author of Dorot HaRishonim

Opening: $600
Sold for: $1,500
Including buyer's premium

Jerusalem Talmud, with commentaries. Zhitomir: R. Chanina Lipa and R. Yehoshua Heshel Shapira, grandsons of the rabbi of Slavita, 1860-1867. Five parts in five volumes.
First edition of the Pnei Moshe and Mareh Panim commentaries on Orders Zera'im-Moed.
The volumes contain close to fifty lengthy, scholarly handwritten glosses (some trimmed). Most the glosses are in the distinctive hand of R. Yitzchak Eizik HaLevi, author of Dorot HaRishonim, and some (over 10 glosses) are in a different hand, by an unidentified writer.
Some of the glosses of R. Yitzchak Eizik HaLevi explain the Talmudic topics; others pertain to the accurate text of the Talmud; while others still relate to the history and exact names of the Tannaim and Amoraim.
One gloss mentions the Malbim with the blessing for the living (the Malbim passed away in 1879, the glosses were therefore written before that date).
R. Yitzchak Eizik HaLevi (Tishrei 1848-1914), a leading Torah scholar of his times, communal leader and historian. He studied under the Beit HaLevi in the Volozhin yeshiva. With time, he began lobbying on behalf Russian Jewry, later founding the World Agudath Yisrael, together with R. Chaim of Brisk, R. Chaim Ozer of Vilna and R. Eliezer Gordon of Telshe.
Five volumes. Vol. I (Order Zera'im): [5], 14, 14-60; 30; 31; 33; 42; 18; 24; 18; 24, 23-33; 14; 9 leaves. Tractate Kilayim bound after Tractate Challah. Vol. II (Order Mo'ed, part I): [2], 52; [1], 55; 61 leaves. Vol. III (Order Moed, part II): [1], 39; 2-31; 17, 17-23; 20; 21; 2-23; 5, 7-32; 20; 17; 34 leaves (34 leaves belong to Tractate Shabbat, bound here in some copies). [1] leaf at beginning of volume – original printed blue wrappers (inscribed: "Volume I"); title page of Tractate Yoma lacking in present copy. Vol. IV (Order Nashim): [2], 79; 45; 64; 34; 56; 51; 41 leaves. Vol. V (Order Nezikin): [2], 33; 2-29; 2-26; 42; 31; 17, 17-26; 6; 15; 9 leaves. Tractate Makkot bound after Tractate Avoda Zara, and not after Tractate Sanhedrin as recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book. 36.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains, including dark dampstains in several places. Marginal paper repairs to title pages, wrappers of vol. III and several other leaves, affecting borders and slightly affecting text. Minor open tear to wrappers of vol. III. Old bindings, with damage to bindings and spines (one spine partially lacking).


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


Manuscripts and Books with Glosses – Ashkenazi Rabbis
Manuscripts and Books with Glosses – Ashkenazi Rabbis