Auction 72
Lot 26:
Complete set of the Bavli Talmud with original bindings – Berlin, 1862-1868, with the Christian forgery in Masechet Shabbat and a handwritten completion of an omission by the censor.
Complete set of the Bavli Talmud, published by Rabbi Nachman Avraham Goldberg. Printed by the convert Julius Zittenfeld – Berlin, 1862-8. Major title pages with red lettering. A total of 12 volumes containing all the tractates of the Shas (see Hebrew catalog text).
This edition contains a horrific forgery. During the printing of Masechet Shabbat, Dr. Viesental, the convert who was the leader of the instigators of Berlin, snuck into the engraving plates room. Taking advantage of the typesetter’s innocence, he told him that a mistake occurred in leaf 31: the words "ציפית לישועה" were written instead of "ציפית לישוע" (referring to ישו G-d forbid) and should be corrected by removing the "ה" at the end of the word לישועה. The innocent typesetter obliged (see more in Hebrew catalog text).
In Masechet Sanhedrin, there is a handwritten completion of an omission by the censor.
Fine original bindings with leather spines, scuffed. Stains and blemishes. Detached leaves. Tears, affecting the text in some places. Not been thoroughly studied for missing leaves. Fair-good overall condition.
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