Volume of mishnah, Seder Nashim, with the “Kaf Nachat” commentary. Printed by Avraham Franko and his son-in-law, Ya’akov Gabbai. Constantinople, 1644-5. Including the rare approbation leaf. Incomplete copy.
There is an extremely important innovation in this edition: The mishnahs are printed with vowelized words! Printed on the back of the title page: “See how this is new, never done before, vowelized letters, each and every letter with the appropriate vowel …”
Another interesting innovation in this book is the division of the mishnahs into months and a mark by each tractate – the weekly Torah portion that is read with it.
The title page is immediately followed by the rare approbation leaf, signed by no less than eighteen Constantinople rabbis. This is followed by the printer’s introduction and that of the one responsible for the vowelization – Rabbi Yosef ibn Altzayag.
Constantinople – the capital of printing in the Oriental countries over the years, only produced four editions of the mishnah. All are especially rare due to their frequent use.
Incomplete copy. The six sedarim were originally printed in two volumes, with two separate title pages. Seder Nashim, including in the original: 64, [2] leaf.
This copy is lacking [9] leaves from this volume and also the last [2] leaves. At the beginning, there are [3] leaves from Part II added, with the title page, the approbation and the introductions. (For more details about the leaves, contact the auction house).
Moderate condition. Much wear and usage marks. Old binding.