Auction 60
Lot 1:
Machzor per the Custom of Rome, First Edition of two important commentaries: Kimcha DeAvishuna, a comprehensive commentary on Piyyutim and prayers by Rabbi Yochanan ben Yosef Trivish and a commentary by "Rabbi Ovadya Sforno" which was printed in his lifetime. Was printed by a rare printing press that printed only few Hebrew books – Bologna (Italy), 1540 (according to the colophon). In the National Library it appears, of course, in the collection of rare books.
This Machzor, which is the glory of the Italian printing presses and one of the most important Machzorim in the history of Hebrew printing, was printed with great precision, as indicated by the title page. It contains prayers for all year round including the Jewish festivals, tractate Avot with the Rambam’s commentary, Passover Haggadah and varied Piyyutim which today are not said. For the project of printing the Machzor, three Italian printers united (a rare thing in itself) – Menachem ben Avraham of Modena, Yechiel ben Shlomo of Ravina and Dan Aryeh ben Shlomo Chaim of Moncelice. The Kimcha DeAvishuna commentary was written anonymously and the colophon refers to this at length.
Two sections in two volumes, impressively engraved title pages. Section I: [200] leaves, of them, leaves 127, 182 and 198 are photocopies that are faithful to the original ones. Section II: [189] leaves. At the end of section II, the leaves containing the Halachot. New bindings. Tears, blemishes and taping affecting the text. Stains. Wine stains on the Passover Haggadah. Moth perforations and damage. Fair general condition.
There are many glosses on the margins of the leaves in square script and a foreign language, supplements and corrections as well as erasure of text by hand anywhere there is a reference against the gentiles or Christianity – apparently for fear of the censor. On the back flyleaves, varied notations which have not been thoroughly examined.
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