Machzor for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – Krovitz. Krakow, at the press of Yitzchak ben Aharon of Prostitz. [1571]. Apparently the first printed machzor.
31-98, 104-105 leaves, professional reproductions of the title page and last leaf. 30 cm. The complete machzor includes 108 leaves, here are 70.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur machzor according to the Polish custom, in Yiddish with Tzenah U’Renah letters, translation primarily of the piyutim. This seems to be the first such machzor ever printed. The colophon describes how the book was authored. Two partners approached Avigdor ben Moshe of Eisenstadt, the translator and editor, with Yiddish machzorim and asked to print them. However, he noticed that the translations were literal – word for word – and he decided to retranslate them. A detailed description of this rare, prominent work, along with the full text of the title page, introduction, translator’s preface, colophon, and facsimile of the title page can be seen at: Ch. Shmeruk, Sifrut Yiddish B’Polin, Jerusalem, 1981, 80-82, #9.
Especially rare. Listed bibliographically according to a copy in the Copenhagen Royal Library. The Bibliography of the Hebrew Book lists it according to a microfiche of the copy in the Copenhagen Royal Library and an (incomplete) private copy. Not in the National Library.
New cloth binding. Aging stains. The book has been professionally restored and new paper has been mounted on most of the blank margins. Blemishes to text on a number of leaves. Moderate condition.