Shaarei Dura, called Isur VeHeter, by R. Yitzchak of Dura. Venice: Parenzo, 1547. Second edition.

Shaarei Dura, authored in the 13th century, is one of the most important classics on Isur VeHeter, and it is cited often by the authoritative poskim, the Beit Yosef and Rama.

The first edition of the book was printed in Kraków in 1534, under the name Isur VeHeter, and it is especially rare.

Printed on p. 47a: "Up to this point was arranged by R. Yitzchak son of R. Meir of Dura; from this point on are selections [from various authors] which also relate to Isur VeHeter… which we found in old editions [Kraków, 1534]".

Signature in Italian script on title page: "Efraim Tossaio Tzarfati". Additional inscription in Italian script: "I borrowed this book when I was in Arbo [Alba?] from the admirable Chai Tossaio, I Yaakov son of R. Shimshon Bachi" (R. Yaakov son of R. Shimshon Bachi, dayan in Vercelli ca. 1630s).

64 leaves. Approx. 21 cm. Overall good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Light wear. Worming. New binding.

CB, no. 5341,2; Zedner, p. 371.

Lechol Chefetz, tikun for halachic documents by R. Eliezer Melli. Venice: Daniel son of Cornelio Adelkind [Giustiniani press], 1552. Only edition.

On p. 2a, dedication by author to Yehudah son of Don Shmuel Abarbanel and his mother Lady Benvenida. The Abarbanel (Abravanel) family had need of halachic documents for commerce, and the author appears to have edited the present book for their sake.

Signature on title page: "Hillel son of R. Aharon Berechiah of Modena" – R. Hillel of Modena, son and successor of kabbalist R. Aharon Berechiah of Modena, author of Maavar Yabok; "Purchased by Avraham at full price, enough clay to connect two pillars, Shlomo Chaim Sanguinetti" (the philanthropist Shlomo Chaim Sanguinetti of Modena, an intimate associate and supporter of the Or HaChaim. The Sanguinetti family of Modena are descendants of R. Hillel son of R. Aharon Berechiah of Modena.

Gloss in Italian script on leaf [4].

On last page, signatures of censors: Camillo Jaghel, dated 1613 and Girolamo da Durazzano, dated 1640. On verso, signatures of Renato da Modena, dated 1626 and Luigi da Bologna (signature somewhat trimmed, undated).

[16] leaves. 20 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Some worming and small open tears, slightly affecting text to one leaf. Margins of title page and last leaf repaired with dark paper. Handwritten inscriptions. New binding.

CB, no. 4097; Zedner, p. 224; Roest, p. 351.

Tiferet Yisrael, on the virtue of Torah and mitzvot, by R. Yehuda Loew – the Maharal of Prague. Venice: Daniel Zanetti, [1599]. First edition, printed in the author's lifetime.

Signature on title page (in Hebrew and Latin characters): "Yechiel Michel Sachs – Dr. Michael Sachs" (R. Dr. Yechiel Michael Sachs, rabbi and scholar in Prague and Berlin, d. 1864).

65 leaves. 29.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including large dampstains. Marginal open tear to one leaf, slightly affecting text. Worming. New binding.

Only book of the Maharal printed in his lifetime in Venice. The rest of his works were printed for the most part in his city Prague, and two were printed in Kraków. The book was published by R. Yaakov son of R. Gershon Bak (a progenitor of the Bak family), who had printed Tana D'Vei Eliyahu in Venice a year earlier, and Midrash Tanchuma in Verona in 1595. He later established a Hebrew printing press in Prague.

Includes leaf 65 at end of book, which is lacking in many copies, containing addenda to leaf 49.

CB, no. 6153,14; Zedner, p. 404; Cowley, p. 399.

Sefer HaEmunot, on beliefs and opposition to philosophy, by R. Shem Tov ibn Shem Tov. Ferrara: Avraham ibn Usque, 1556. Only edition.

Title page dated Tamuz 1556. Colophon at end of book dated Tishrei 1556.

Sefer HaEmunot is a polemical work against philosophy and in support of Kabbalah. The author, R. Shem Tov ibn Shem Tov, a Torah scholar in pre-expulsion Spain, directs most of his sharp criticism at the Rambam. The sons and grandson of the elder R. Shem Tov were supporters of the Rambam and philosophy and were even leading commentators of his Moreh Nevuchim (his grandson, R. Shem Tov II, is the author of the famous Shem Tov commentary). A contemporary attests that when they were expelled to Portugal, the sons of R. Shem Tov disposed of all of their father's writings in the Lisbon synagogue, "because they were ashamed of how their father spoke against the Rambam, and in his honor they buried it" (see: Meir Benayahu, Makor Al Megorshei Sefarad BePortugal, Sefunot XI, pp. 236-244). Sefer HaEmunot was rescued from burning by Christians in Portugal, along with other important manuscripts, and was later circulated in many copies, one of which reached R. Moshe (Maharam) Alashkar, who vehemently objected to the derision of the Rambam. In response, he wrote a sharp critique of the book, accusing the author of forgery and malicious intent. Maharam Alashkar's critique was first printed in his responsa (section 117), Sabbioneta 1554. When Sefer HaEmunot was first published in the present edition, the publisher Baruch Uziel Chazaketti felt it his duty to print together with it the objections of R. Moshe Alashkar (and the two books are in fact often bound together).

The two last leaves contain a fragment from the Zohar (printed prior to the first editions of the Zohar, Mantua and Cremona, 1558-1560).

On the title page and last leaf of book appears the printer's mark of R. Avraham ibn Usque, with an astrolabe in the center projecting an anchor, captioned with two Biblical verses and the initials "A.U." (see: Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, Jerusalem 1944, illustration 22 and pp. 133-134).

Glosses in early Ashkenazic script on first leaves (most containing short summaries of topics).

Censorship expurgations.

On last leaf, signature of censor Giovanni Domenico Carretto, dated 1616.

116 leaves. Approx. 20 cm. Most leaves in good-fair condition, first leaves in fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear to first leaves (affecting illustrated title frame). Tears and open tears, affecting text on several leaves, partially repaired with paper. New binding.

CB, no. 7126,1; Zedner, p. 697; Roest, p. 1045.

Mechir Yayin, commentary on the Book of Esther by R. Moshe Isserles – the Rama. Cremona: Vicenzo Conti, 1559. First edition.

Mechir Yayin is the first work by R. Moshe Isserles. It was written during his stay in Szydłów following the outbreak of a plague in the Kraków region ca. 1556, which compelled his family to leave the city. The refugees in Szydłów were utterly destitute, making it difficult for them to fulfill the commandments of Purim. The Rama dedicated the present work to his father as a sort of substitute for mishloach manot (the name of the work, deriving from a verse in Isaiah, has the literal meaning of "substitute for wine"). The concluding words of the book contain an acrostic poem with the author's name: "What I saw fit to explain in this Megillah… I sent in the days of Purim as a gift to my most valiant father Yisrael, head of the uncountable people. One who wishes to investigate what I say must study physics, metaphysics and sciences, and such a person is one of the celestial spheres".

The book was proofread by Vittorio Eliano, a grandson of R. Eliyahu Bachur.

On verso of last page, signature of censor Domenico Gerosolimitano dated 1597, and signature of censor Giovanni Domenico Carretto dated 1628.

24 leaves. 18.5 cm. Good condition. Light stains. New binding.

CB, no. 6483,5; Zedner, p. 575.