1. Sefer Yona with Rashi’s commentary and the Gra’s as well. Printed by Rabbi Yisrael Bek, under the Sultan’s government (Sultan Abd il Aziz), published by Sir Moses Montefiore. 10 leaves. The year and “u’le Jerusalem” appears, this seems to be an error and the letter vav needs to be removed, based on the introduction after the title page which lists the real printing date (1866). Shoshana HaLevi 122. Illustrations of holy places at the beginning and end of the book.
2. Avodat HaKodesh by the Hida. “With all 7 celestial objects.” Moreh B’Etzba, Tziporen Shamir, Kesher Godel, Kaf Achat, Yosef b’Seder, Sansan L’Yair, Shomer yisrale. Printed in Pressburg 1857. [2], 82 leaves. Behind the title page is a LaMenatze’ach menrorah.
Binding detached, no spine, pages detached, stains, overall condition of the content itself is good.
The title pages have signatures of the geonim Rabbi Yochanan Zvi Slank and Rabbi Ephraim Shmuel Pfefferman (Lerner).
Rabbi Yochanan Zvi Slank (1815-1884) was the son of Rabbi Mordechai, Av Beit Din of Slanka, in western Prussia. He was son-in-law of Rabbi David Tevli Berlin of London. Before moving to Jerusalem in 1818, he served as rabbi in Pressburg and was one of the Chatam Sofer’s students (and the Ktav Sofer after him).
