Winner's Auctions No. 111
Important Historic Documents, Haskalah, Einstein, Seforim, Manuscripts and Letters from Rabbis and Rebbes
- (-) Remove Sefarim filter Sefarim
- (-) Remove Sefarim filter Sefarim
Maharsh"a, halachic novellae by Rabbi Shmuel Eidels. Nowydwor, Krieger Press, 1789. Unknown edition.
Halachic novellae by the Maharsh"a on the entire Talmud in one volume. This edition is not mentioned in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book and is not found in any large public library throughout the world.
Editions of this work were printed in Nowydwor in 1781 and 1792. However, this edition is unknown.
Hebrew books were printed in Nowydwor, northwest of Warsaw, for thirty years - approximately 1781-1810. Refer to Ch. D. Friedberg, HaDefus HaIvri B'Polania, p. 75-82. The first book printed there was the Chiddushei Hilchot Maharsh"a, printed in 1781.
247 [should be 248] leaves, 33 cm. Fine-very fine condition. Aging stains. Dismantled binding.
Shivah Einayim. The Ramban's elucidation on the chapter"Zeh Borer" and Tractate Makkot. With the Raav"ad's Sefer HaZechut. There are also a number of responsa by leaders of the generations, such as a question by Don Nissim Benveneste to the Mahar"i Abuhav, responsum of Rabbi Yitzchak son of Zayeit and more. Edited by Rabbi Yaakov Londin. Leghorn, [1745]. First edition.
[4], 2-68 leaves, 21 cm. Owner signatures, stamps and inscriptions.
Moderate-fine condition. Minimal worming holes and aging stains. Some loose leaves. Simple binding.
Ethics of the Fathers with English translation and commentary. London, 1772. Rare.
This was apparently the first edition of Pirkei Avot with English translation. One of the first books printed in London by Jews. Unusually long introduction.
Handwritten inscription on flyleaf.
108-73, 48, [2], XLII pages. 16.5 cm. Printed from left to right. Hebrew with English translation. Hebrew text is vowelized.
Fine condition. Aging stains. Used binding.
* Tractate Bava Batra, with commentaries by Rash"i and Tosafot, Piskei Tosafot, Rabbeinu Asher, and mishnayot with the Rambam's commentary. Frankfurt on the Oder, 1699.
[1] 179, 40, 7 leaves. With the illustrated title page. 35 cm.
Bound with:
* Tractate Avodah Zarah, 2-97 leaves, printed without title page due to censorship. 35 cm.
Early edition of the Talmud, printed according to Basel Press' well-known edition, 1578-1581. However, the Basel edition was printed without Tractate Avodah Zarah because of censorship, and here it was printed without a title page. The beginning of the volume, preceding the title-page, features copperplate illustrations with drawings of Moshe, Aharon, David and Shlomo. Refer to the description of the illustrated title page in: A. Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriim, Jerusalem, 1944, page 49, 152, number 78. Fine condition. Damaged antique leather binding.
Volume of tractates from the Frankfurt Press, 1720.
* Tractate Avodat Kochavim with Rash"i's commentary, Tosafot, Piskei Tosafot, Rabbeinu Asher, and mishnayot with the Rambam's commentary. Proofread by the Maharshal and Rabbi Yosef Shmuel of Frankfurt. 87 leaves, including title-page. For censorship reasons, the printers changed the tractate's name, Avodat Kochavim, at the top of the pages. The name of the tractate was not printed, in contrast with the other tractates. There are forms printed completely without a title page, but the form before us contains one.
* Tractate Makkot. With commentaries by Rash"i, Tosafot, Piskei Tosafot, Rabbeinu Asher, and mishnayot with the Rambam's commentary, proofread by the Maharshal and Rabbi Yosef Shmuel of Frankfurt. 28 leaves.
* Tractate Horayot. With commentaries Rash"i, Tosafot, Piskei Tosafot, Rabbeinu Asher, and mishnayot with the Rambam's commentary, and Talmud Yerushalmi. With Tosafot MiMasechet Horayot, printed here for the first time in gemaras. 16, 16-17 leaves.
* Tractate Eduyot. With the commentaries of Rabbeinu Moshe son of Maimon ztz"l and ... R' Avraham son of David ztz"l. With small tractates. 14, 33, [1], 38-52 leaves.
Very fine condition. 30 cm. Not bound.
Tractate Eiruvin with commentary, Tosfot, Piskei Tosfot, Rabbeinu Asher, Piskei HaRo"sh and Peirush HaMishnayot MeHaRambam. Nowydwor, Krieger press. [1786]. Especially rare.
At the time, the printer Krieger in Nowydwor received license to print Hebrew books. He started with a plan to print the entire Babylonian Talmud. Using three buildings in the city, he started printing in 1782. However, for various reasons, his great plan never came to fruition, and only a few tractates were printed. It is known that he printed Tractates Berachot, Zeraim and Shabbat - and this is his Tractate Eiruvin. A few years later, he printed Tractate Rosh Hashanah and possibly also Bava Metzia.
Friedberg, in Toldot HaDefus HaIvri B'Polania (p. 76-77), writes in length about the development of this printing and mentions that Tractate Eiruvin was also printed. Later bibliographers only knew about this tractate from Friedberg, and copied the information from his book, though they never saw it themselves due to its rarity. Similarly, Haberman, in his comments on the Maamar al Hadpasat HaTalmud, writes that this tractate appears in Friedberg's entry, but he never saw it.
Especially rare tractate. Not listed by the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book and not found in the National Library. Documentary material about this tractate is included with his lot.
130 leaves, 35 cm. The endpapers bear owner signatures and notations. Fine condition, aging stains, minimal light tears in the margins of a few leaves. Old cardboard binding.
Tractate Baba Metzia, with Rashi and Tosafot, Perush L'Mishnayot L'HaRambam, Hagahot Rabbi Yeshayahu Berlin, and Hagahot HaGR"A. Vienna, Schmidt press, 1821. Unknown edition.
Unknown tractate, not printed as part of Shas produced by Schmidt in Vienna 1806-1811. Only two tractates are known to be printed by Schmidt in this format: Tractate Brachot and Tractate Makkot, and now there is an additional tractate.
119 leaves. 33 cm. Neither recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, nor in the National Library.
Fine condition. Minor blemish to title page and last page. Aging stains. Simple binding.
Midrash Pinchas, elucidation of Chazal's aggadahs, Rabbah bar bar Chana's sayings and Sabi Dibei Atuna's aggadahs, by Rabbi Pinchas son of Shmuel of Wysokie. London, 1795. First edition.
Explanation of words and expansive commentary on the aggadahs in chapter "HaMocher et HaSefinah," and in Tractate Bechorot.
Background: The author was born in Wysokie, Lithuania in 1755. He moved to Germany and served as rabbi and preacher in Berlin. He roamed Europe, reaching England in 1790 and then moving on to Hungary and Transylvania where he passed away c. 1825. The second section has another title page and preface. Lengthy list of subscribers at the beginning of the book, comprised of London residents listed according to synagogue.
[6], 40; [1], 17 leaves. 24 cm. Additional title page for the second section.
Very fine condition other than stains on the title page. Restored, antiquated binding.
Shishah Sidrei Mishnah with commentaries including the Chiddushei HaGaon of Vilna and Chiddushei Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov. Vilna and Grodno, [1818].
This edition of the mishnah features the first printing of the GR"A's commentary on the six sedarim of the mishnah then known. With the addition of a number of elucidations by the GR"A, printed here for the first time. Refer to Winograd, Sifrei HaGR"A #183, for more information regarding the significance of this edition.
Includes the Biur HaGR"A on Mishnayot Arugah (chapter 3 of Tractate Kilaim) with supplements that had never been printed before. Chapter Adroginus (end of Tractate Bikkurim), per the GR"A's version. With the chart of "elu hen hakrovim" on Tractate Sanhedrin, within the Hagahot HaGR"A. Peirush HaGR"A on Seder Teharot was printed around the text of the Mishnah.
On Seder Kadshim [1] leaf, there is a sketch of the Beit HaMikdsah ... I drew and developed it ... Dov Ber ... Yosef Yozpa ... Cooper Stecher of Vilna.
Six volumes, 26 cm. Light blue paper. Complete set. Many signatures and owner notations of Rabbi Avraham son of Chaim Friedstein of Kalwaria and others.
All the volumes are in very fine condition, other than damp stains on the second section of Kadshim with the sketch of the Holy Temple. Five original, antiquated leather bindings in fine condition, with light blemishes. The binding of Seder Zeraim is worn.
Sefer Charedim by the holy rabbi, Eliezer Azkiri ztz"l ... by order and publication of the partners ... Asher Zelig Berach z"l ... and his son ... Pinchas ... and Chanoch Henoch. Radziwilow, [1818].
This edition features approbations from Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margoliot and Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Teumim which relate specifically to this edition. Owner notations and signatures from around the time of printing.
During the same year and at the same place, another edition was printed without location of print or the approbations. This copy does contain the name and location of the press, and the approbations, and its pagination matches the listing in Ginzei Yisrael 950 and the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book #108715.
The Hebrew press in Radziwilow [Radzivilov, Volhynia] operated for a very short period of time and less than ten books were printed there; they are all rare.
[6], 5-66, [2], 67-68, [1], 69-101 [should be: 102], [1] leaf. 16.5 cm. Ginzei Yisrael 950. Light blue paper.
Moderate-fine condition. Aging stains. A number of page titles were cropped. Worn, detached binding.
Ohr HaNe'erav. Novellae on Talmudic topics by Rabbi Avraham Aryeh Leib Kahanah, with Divrei Shlomo by his son, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman. Ostrog, [1824]. First edition.
The book opens with prominent approbations, including ones from chassidic leaders: Rabbi Meir Kristenfeld of Brodt, Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margoliot, Rabbi Chaim HaKohen Rapaport, Rabbi Yitzchak of Radvil, Rabbi Avraham Dov of Ovruch and more. Shaar HaMaftechot has a separate title page, with additional approbations including one from Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta, author of Ohev Yisrael, who promises to purchase the book after it is printed and even paid a deposit for it.
[2], 70, [6] leaves, 33 cm. Blue paper. Shaar HaMaftechot has a separate title page.
Very fine condition, other than reinforcements and light tears to the title page and following leaf. Minimal aging stains. Simple binding.
First edition of Teshuvot Rabbi Akiva Eiger. First book, including Part I of Psakim, Part I of Ktavim, and two sermons from Drush Ve'Chiddush. Psakim contains several notes written during the era, in unidentified handwriting.
The book was printed during the author's lifetime. It was edited by his sons, Rabbi Shlomo and Rabbi Avraham, who pleaded with him to print his responsa, but he himself punctiliously proofread the entire book and compiled errata at the end. In the foreword to the book, his sons included letters from Rabbi Akiva Eiger containing detailed instructions regarding the book's printing. Among the instructions he requested that the book be printed "on attractive paper, with black ink, and handsome lettering; because in my opinion the soul is impressed, the mind is at ease, and the intention is awakened from studying from an appealing and elegant book." In addition, Rabbi Akiva Eiger asked that his book be printed on special leaves, and indeed, pages watermarked "EIGER" were ordered at his request, and the book was printed in the most exquisite manner.
[1] 222 leaves, 34 cm, two title pages.
Part I of Psakim is in moderate condition. Moisture damage and worming holes in first 30 leaves. New, gilt-embossed binding.
Part I of Ktavim is in fine condition. Few aging stains. Detached binding, and spine split in two.
Shulchan HaTahor. Summary of the 613 mitzvot of Maimonides, as arranged by the Shach, divided into 30 days of the month, with supplements from the Talmud, Zohar and more, by Rabbi Nissim Zerachya Azulai. Yisrael Bek Press. Safed, [1836]. First edition.
Rabbi Yisrael Bek only printed six books in Safed before moving his press to Jerusalem. This was the last book he printed in Safed. The chronogram emphasizes the word "Jerusalem," alluding to his plan to move.
Rabbi Nissim Zerachya, the author, was the only son of Rabbi Avraham Azoulay, the son of the Chid"a. He was born in Jerusalem prior to 1780, and stayed with the Chid"a in Leghorn in 1803. He then moved to Turkey where he served as Av Beit Din in Magnesia, next to Izmir, and became friendly with Rabbi Chaim Palaji, who quoted some of his Torah thoughts and attributed many honorifics to him. He then immigrated to the Land of Israel and settled in Safed, where he served as adjudicator in the city. He was one of those who gave an approbation to Rabbi Yisrael of Sklow's Peat Shulchan. Rabbi Nissim Zerachya was killed in the earthquake of 1837. It is related that when he was found amongst the ruins wrapped in a tallit and tefillin with crushed legs, he said that he was the last reincarnation of King Asa who was lame, and then his soul left him. Upon his passing, the Chid"a's kabbalistic manuscripts that he possessed were lost. In his work regarding laws related to meals, he quotes many ideas from his grandfather, the Chid"a.
44 leaves, 15 cm. Fine condition. New binding with gilt embossing.