Auction 65
Lot 2:
Tractate Nidah with Rashi’s commentary, Tosfot, Piskei Tosfot and a commentary on the Mishnayot by Rabbeinu Asher, printed as part of the famed, first edition of the entire Shas "by Daniel Bomberg… in Venice 1520". 91 leaves. From leaf 73 and onward, Piskei Tisfot and a commentary on the Mishnayot by Rabbeinu Asher, abbreviated Hilchot Nidah. On leaf 91, "These are the beginning of the leaves of tractate Nidah which in Italian are called Registerio" (that is, a list of the Kuntresim and beginning of the sheets of each Kuntres). The Registerio appears in only some of the tractates.
This edition from the early days of printing is considered a cornerstone of the format of the leaf and the pagination. The version of the Gemore in most of the following editions was based on this one since it was almost completely free from the erasures of the censor. In addition, it contains, for the first time, several of the fundamental works on the Shas: Rabbeinu Asher (Chidushei HaRosh, a basic work that is considered one of the foundations of halachic Psikah) and Piskei Tosafot..
"This Talmud is rare in its beauty, the fine paper and black fonts and the sheets between Rashi and the Tosfot are wide. All following editions did not compare to its beauty" (Rabbi Raphaell Natan Note Rabinowitz, author of Dikdukei Sofrim in his article on the printing of the Talmud) Stefansky Sifrei Yesod no. 41.
In the National Library, the books of course appears in the Rare Book Collection with the other volumes of the Shas. 36X24 cm. Modern, stable semi-leather binding with some moth perforations. Bright, healthy paper. Part of the title page and teh last leaf as well as the corners of some leaves have been professionally restored. Stains. A rare, sacred item in very good condition.
On the first leaf, a Sephardic ownership signature: "שלמה בכ חוצין" (slightly trimmed), apparently referring to Rabbi Shlomo Bechor Chutzin (1843-1893) one of the rabbis of Baghdad, a disciple of Rabbi Abdalla [Ovadya] Somech. Approbated the scholarly work Sidrei Taharot by the Admor of Radzin alongside his above Rav. He owned an important printery in Baghdad.
On the margins of the sheets, glosses and corrections in Sephardic scriot and several significant comments.
The item was purchased at the Sotheby’s Auction House approx. fifteen years ago.
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