21.12.2016 - Auction No. 12

Exegesis on Adra Raba by Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac Hever (1789-1853), a posek and kabbalist from Lithuania, student of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov [student of the Vilna Gaon]. Moth damage, cover is glued. The place and year are in Karelian lettering at the bottom of the cover.

1-2. HaMidrash veHaMa’aseh by Rabbi Yehezkel Lifshitz of Platsk [Poland], president of the Rabbinical Association in Poland. Drashot on the five books of Torah—Genesis to Numbers in two volumes. Bindings are disconnected. Defects from wear, moth damage, and moisture stains. Generally good condition. 3. Tevo’ot Adama, drashot on the Torah by Rabbi Alter Moshe Aharon Levi, Av Beit Din of Damberava—Gorny [Poland]. Genesis to Numbers together in one volume, damage from wear, moth damage, moisture stains, generally good condition.

Lot of books from Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radin (the Chafetz Haim). 1. Likkutei Halachot, sections 1-3, Pietrokov. Torat Kohanim, Pietrekov 1911. Mishnah Brurah, section 2 and 4, Warsaw 1895-1902. Moth marks, light defects in some of the bindings. Various conditions.

Articles regarding issues of supreme importance, the goal of the Agudat Yisrael movement. From Rav Eliyahu Meir Feivelson, Av Beit Din of Kopishak. Binding and pages disconnected, stains from wear, generally ok to good condition.

Chiddushim on the Torah and questions and answers on various issues. Only edition of this book by Rabbi Avraham Zussman bar Yosef Abrahams (1800-1879), one of the sages of the Land of Israel who came from England. Around 40 years he served as the shochet in London. In 1879 he moved to Israel. Among his works: Beit Avraham, Baruch MiBanim, and more. Not bound, moth damage and wear from time, pages disconnected, signatures of ownership, generally ok condition.

Composition on the kabbalah by Rabbi Yaakov Zvi Yalish (Yules) (1777-1824), who served as Av Beit Din of Dinov and more, considered one of the great sages of Poland, known mostly for his book “Meloh HaRo’im” and for his genius and command in mysticism. The book Kohelet Yaakov was printed in Lviv (Lemberg) in 1870 with the endorsements of Rabbi Ysoef Shaul Natanson, rabbi of Lviv, Rabbi Haim Halberstam, the Divrei Haim of Sanz, Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac of Zidichov (it should be noted he was the father-in-law of the author), and more. Copy of the kabbalist Rabbi Shimon Englander, who has a stamp on the first page and cover. Moth damage and wear, generally good condition.

With Unkelos translation and Rashi’s commentary, every parshah printed in a separate booklet. Each has a dustjacket and on the other side are prayers for the haftarah and the names of the ta’amim, on the back are printed endorsements by Rabbi Yoel of Satmar, Rabbi Yisrael Hagar, the Ahavat Yisrael of Vizhnitz, and more. In the lot before us are 9 of these booklets, for the parshiyot: Va’eyra, Mishpatim, Terumah, Tetzaveh, Shmini, Vayelech, Bekhukotai, Shoftim, and Ki-Tetzeh. Light tears, stains and signs of use, dustjackets are partially disconnected, generally ok to good condition.

Complete set of mishnayot. Covers in black and red ink. Wide margins, printed partially on light blue pages. 6 volumes-Seder Zra’im: [2] 132 page. Seder Mo’ed: 173 page. Seder nashim: 160 page. Seder Nezikin: [1] 196 page. Seder Kedoshim: 163 page. Seder Taharot (the numbering in the first pages is incorrect): 224 page. Moth damage, stains, and light wear, various tapings. Signatures and stamps of ownership. Generally good to very good condition, new binding engraved.

1. Kitzur shulchan Aruch on halachot of Shabbat and hanukkah with the book Minchat Shabbat by Rabbi Shmuel HaKohen Bernstein of Sieniawa; Warsaw 1905. Bound together with the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Yom Tov and Hol HaMoed, and Minchat Yom Tov by the same rabbi. 1903. Two covers, an additional one for the second section. 2. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch on Pesach, and about it the book Ma’adanei Shmuel by Rabbi Shmuel HaKohen Bernstein of Sieniawa. Warsaw 1910. 3. Me’orei Or, kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah, by Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac Shor, Av Beit Din of Bucharest. Lviv 1893. Bound together with the book Khakot HaDayanim, a kitzur of the Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat, by the same rav. Lviv 1879. 4. Illustrated kitzur shulchan aruch with Ir David by Rabbi Feldman, rabbi of the Yerayim community of Leipzig. Second printing. Leipzig 1924. 24cm. 242 page. 5-6. Two editions of the book Shulchan Aruch, pocket edition, with commentary Ir David (same as #4), without a place name noted nor year of publication. Different covers for the two books. Noted: published by Avner.

With separate covers for each section. By Rabbi Abraham of Sochotchov. On the cover is a listing of ownership and stamps “this book I bought for Tzuri and Yosef David Landau.” Binding is a little defective. Tear on pages 30-31, without damage to text. Light moth damage. Stains from moisture. Tape on a number of places. Generally ok to good condition. Rabbi Avraham Bernstein of Sochotchov (1838-1910) was an Admor of Sochotchov, author of Eglei Tal and Avnei Nezer. Known as one of the most learned sages and poskim in Poland.

Talpiyot publishing, New York. Every page has 4 pages of Gemara. Damage from fire to the spine of the volume, without damage to the pages themselves. Defects to the cover and first 2 pages. Generally good condition.

1. Mateh Aharon, chiddushim on Agadot of Chazal, at the end the pamphlet “Metziyat Aseret HaShvatim.” By Rabbi David Aharon Vishnevitz, “who lived in Johannesburg, South Africa.” First edition printed in Vilna in 1909. Cover and first pages are torn a little. Generally good condition. 2. Chidot HaHaggadot HaNifla’ot on the ten lost tribes, by Shimon Menachem Lazar, published by “Metzafeh” Bardovitz 1908. Bound together with: Hananya ben Hezekiah, a book on the history of the Jewish people in Europe. Only edition published in Krakow 1903. And the book “The Jews of Poland during the Napoleonic Wars,” only edition, published by “HaTzfira” Warsaw 1912. And the booklet “Shirei Hod” for Napoleon. Warsaw 1807. Generally good condition. 3. Kol Mibasar, regarding finding the ten tribes, by Rabbi Shimon Zvi Horwitz, a great kabbalist in Jerusalem, printed by Salomon printing in Jerusalem 1923. Stamp of ownership of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Harlap, from Jerusalem. Addition of an omission handwritten by the author. Cover taped and partially missing. Rebound. Generally good condition.

Condition is rare given its beauty, newly bound with an engraved cloth binding. Moth marks and stains.

On Rashi’s commentary of the Torah, by Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrahi. 320 page, 32cm. Last page is missing and is filled in. On the second column of page 280 there is a schematic illustrated map of the Land of Israel, considered one of the earliest maps of the Land of Israel, ever. Unknown signature on the cover—Yehuda Leib…? Moth marks, damage over time (light), generally good condition.

Grammar of the Holy Tongue (Hebrew) by Rabbi David Kimchi—the Radak, with “nimukim” by Rabbi Eliyahu “HaBechor” Ashkenazi. 69 pages, restored cover. Old signatures “Avraham Tzemach,” and more. Light moth damage, stains, generally very good condition.

Printed by Justinian-Edelkind Cornelio in Venice. Various signatures of ownership. 192 page. Restoration to a number of pages, various glosses. Moth damage. Stains. Generally wonderful condition.

Halachot of Rav Elfas HaReef, on Masechtot Baba Kama and Baba Metziya. [1] 158 page. Missing the last page. 2 last pages are defective with damage to text. Stains from water. Moth damage. Some of the pages are cut in the margins with damage to the text. Cover page disconnected, no binding. Bad to ok condition.

“Composed and based upon halachot according to the order in the Talmud Bavli.” New binding with glossy paper. Cover is professionally restored. Moth marks. Generally good condition.

An important work of kabbalah by Rabbi Yosef ben Avraham Gictilia (the Mahari Gictilia, 1248-1323 approx), who was one of the great sages of Spain in the 13th century, a student of Rabbi Avraham Abulafya, who wrote about him in his book “Otzer Aden HaGanuz.” “He without a doubt succeeded wonderfully in what he learned before, and added from his own power and thoughts what was on his mind.” When he was around 24 years old he composed this book. Not bound. Generally of frail quality, with tears and water damage.

Written by one steady hand throughout on parchment made from a large cow, as it was the tradition in Yemen to use all parts of the hide. According to the shape of the letters, the cursive pey, and some of the crooked lettering, it seems that it was written 250-300 years ago approximately, and this writing is according to the mesorah of the Rambam (for comprehensive study one can look at the study of Professor Aharon Gimni, in his book “Shifts in Yemenite Jewish Heritage,” page 21, and his book “Khavatzelet HaSharon” pages 29-34). Size: 50cm, 51 lines per column. Not sold as kosher!

With much tagging of letters and strange letters and bending, including rare appearances of these letters. Given in original atzei hayyim. This book’s lettering is in a very ancient style, including rare cursive forms. Peys are crooked (internally crooked even) and the hets are ‘pushed’ outwards, special lamed decorations, the nun of zechor is backwards, and additional odd letters. The writing is according to the ancient Ashkenaz tradition, including the open and closed parshiyot, large and small letters, letters with vowelling. It follows the style described specifically in the ancient book “Sefer Ta’agi”, a tradition mentioned by Rambam in his book Hilchot Sefer Torah, chapter 7, halacha 8, saying “one should take care with the large letters and the small letters and the vowelled letters and the strange letters, such as the pey and the crooked letters, as the sofrim each copied one another. One should take care that one letter that has one tag above it and another has seven above it…” as in this Sefer, like with the word “v’He’ezniya” and in additional places. This form of writing disappeared progressively over the generations, since it was not uniform across various stages of this mesorah and since the Rambam states that a torah is not pasul because of a lack of tagging and strange lettering. Thestyle is still somewhat preserved in Ashkenazi sifrei torah from later periods. Everything written here is paged upon the detailed article (page 19) by a researcher who deals with the tagging and strange lettering, with explanation of the various changes. According to research findings and examination—some of the appearances here are unknown in other texts. There are those who estimate that the Torah was written in Germany, while others claim Poland, but it is unclear. 52 lines per column. Height of the parchment: 35cm. Condition: in relation to the years it is in good condition, the writing has held well on the parchment throughout, but some of the places have smudging on brown letters. Original, uniform handwriting. Not sold as kosher.

The cover is later. Uniform, readable handwriting, complete. Generally very good condition. Height: 54cm + etzei hayyim from Morocco. Not sold as kosher!

Handsome Ashkenazi handwriting, uniform writing throughout. Complete, readable. Some smudging. 45cm. Given with etzei hayyim from the period. Generally good condition, not sold as kosher.

Case made from hammering work, seemingly for children. Around the case are decorations of plants and engravings of verses. With a pair of rimonim made of metal. Height: 55cm, including part of a sefer torah inside, written on parchment, 30cm, Ashkenazi handwriting, begins in the middle of Bereishit and goes until the middle of Metzorah. Ok to good condition. The item was brought to auction from a private collection.

16cm in height, writing is 13.5cm. Begins at the end of Bereishit, parshat Vayechi (49:8), and goes until Leviticus, parshat Tazriya (13:35). Erasures, blurred writing in some places. Not sold as kosher, ok condition.