The Kennicott Bible. Elaborate facsimile published by Facsimile Editions. Including a commentary volume. London, [1985]. Copy no. 132/500.
A facsimile of an illustrated Spanish manuscript from 1476. The manuscript was commissioned by Don Solomon de Braga twenty years before the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. It was written by Moshe ebn Zabara and illustrated by Yosef ebn Chaim whose style was influenced by Islamic art. The manuscript contains the whole Bible together with the Radak commentary and Sefer HaMichlol. The manuscript is called the Kennicott Bible after Benjamin Kennicot (1718-1783) an English clergyman and Hebraist who acquired the manuscript for the Radcliffe Library in England.
An exceptionally beautiful facsimile which was published after five and a half years of preparation. Printed on thick paper of excellent quality especially produced to reproduce the appearance of parchment on which the original manuscript was written. The gilding of the facsimile illustrations was done by hand, by seven artists who worked continuously for four months. Bound in an exquisite leather binding.
Facsimile: [444] leaves, 30 cm. commentary volume: 97 pp. Very good condition. Both volumes are contained in a fine box, slightly damaged

Hilchot Rav Alfas (the Rif), with the commentaries. Sabbioneta, [1554-1555]. Printed by Tuvia Pu'ah.
Three parts in seven volumes. With Rashi commentary, Chidushei HaRan, Nimukei Yosef, Rabbeinu Asher on Halachot Ketanot, Rabbeinu Yonah's disciples on Berachot, Rabbi Yehonatan's commentary on Eruvin, Piskei Rav Mordechai, Hagahot Mordechai and Tosefta, with Shiltei Giborim.
The sheets of the volumes have dozens of glosses, mostly written in Oriental script, by several writers. Some are long and with scholarly halachic content [several glosses are signed: "D.T. = Divrei Talmid? (words of the disciple)].
The bindings of three volumes of this copy are made of uncut sheets from a printing press of a proclamation by Safed rabbis from 1795 printed in Italy by a Safed emissary Rabbi Yehuda Chasin. The proclamation titled "L'Ezrat Hashem BaGiborim" tells of the economic difficulties encountered by the community and the vicious libel they encountered: "An evil wicked man, who calls himself a Jew, went to the minister our enemy who rules the land and slandered our brethren the Jews who live in Safed. When the hateful minister heard the words of that evil person, he fell into a rage and sent servants to Safed. They seized 15 men including seven rabbis and the minister wanted to kill them. They compromised with him to free them for the ransom of 140 thousand...". For information regarding the mission of Rabbi Yehuda Chasin, see: A. Ya'ari, Shluchei Eretz Yisrael, p. 666 which partially quotes the aforementioned proclamation. Each leaf contains four uncut proclamations. (More than 20 proclamations used for the bindings, some in good condition).
Seven volumes. Complete set, with the exception of the title page of Seder Nezikim and the last leaf of Seder Moed.
Seder Moed: Volume 1 (Berachot, Halachot Ketanot, Shabbat): 98, 97-98, [1], 100-170, [2], 171-187 leaves. Volume 2 (Eruvin, Pesachim, Ta'anit, Betza, Rosh Hashana): 189-225, 225-229, [1], 227-267, 265-320 leaves. Volume 3 (Yoma, Succah, Megilla, Moed Katan): 321-409 (lmissing last leaf). Bound with: Tractate Avoda Zara (of Seder Nezikin): 349-398 leaves. Seder Nashim: Volume 4 (Yevamot, Ketubot, Gittin): [1], 402-605 leaves. Volume (Kiddushin, Chulin and Tosefta Taharot). Volume 5: 606-778; 54 leaves. Seder Nezikin: Volume 6: (Bava Kama, Bava Metzia): 2-159 leaves (missing title page). Volume 7: (Bava Batra, Sanhedrin, Makot, Shevuot): 160-348 leaves. The end of Seder Nezikin is bound with the end of Seder Moed. 54 leaves of the index is bound at the end of Seder Nashim.
39 cm. Varying condition of leaves. Good-fair. Stains, wear and tear and worm marks. Five bindings have ancient leather bindings, torn, detached and damaged.

Three volumes of the Babylonian Talmud, in a small edition. "So that a person can carry it in the corner of his cloak and look in it also when traveling". Each two leaves of this format are the size of one leaf of the regular editions. These tractates were printed alone and not part of a whole set of Talmud.
* Tractate Yoma, with Rashi commentary, Tosfot, Rosh and Chidushei HaMaharsha. Amsterdam, [1722]. Ancient ownership inscriptions [Rabbi Yehuda Lima and his family] signed by Rabbi "Kapil Unrich Rabbi of Paris" and stamps of the "Chevra Kadisha D'Shas Paris".
[174], 89-94, 94-101, 192-203 leaves. 18 cm. Good condition. Stains, several tears. Contemporary leather binding, worn.
* Tractate Kiddushin, with Rashi commentary, Tosfot and the Rosh. Amsterdam, [1724]. "Printed for the benefit of the elderly and young so that should study the abovementioned tractates in our Rabbi's yeshiva…Av Beit Din and Rabbi of the Ashkenasi community". Ancient ownership inscriptions that the Talmud belongs to "The Av Beit Din Avraham", and an inscription of his son "Chaim ben the deceased Rabbi Avraham" [possibly, Rabbi Avraham Berlin, Rabbi and Av Beit Din of the Amsterdam Ashkenazi community (died 1730, Otzar HaRabbanim 305)]. Several handwritten corrections.
[189] leaves. Lacking first leaf after title page. 18 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear and tear to title page and to several leaves. New leather binding.
* Tractate Sanhedrin, with Rashi commentary, Tosfot and the Rosh. Furth, [1739]. Ownership inscriptions, handwritten gloss.
264, [18] leaves. 19 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Title page worn and torn. Wear and tear to more leaves. Ancient binding with leather spine, damaged.

Hilchot Rav Alfas, Pressburg, 1836. Anton Schmid printing press. A (imaginary) portrait of Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi – the Rif.
All eight title pages of the book have signatures of Rabbi Pinchas Zelig Lev who writes that he received the books from his father Rabbi Yirmiyahu Lev Av Beit Din of Újhely. Some title pages are signed by his father Rabbi Yirmiyahu Lev and by his sons and members of Rabbi Pinchas Zelig's family.
Rabbi Yirmiyahu Lev (1811-1874), son of Rabbi Binyamin Wolf Lev author of Sha'arei Torah, one of the leading Torah scholars of Hungary in the days of the Ktav Sofer, served in the rabbinate of Vrbové and Ohel. Wrote Divrei Yirmiyahu on the Rambam, on the Talmud, novellae on Talmudical treatises and homiletics. His son Rabbi Pinchas Zelig Lev (died in 1878), a wealthy Torah scholar and a perfect tzaddik, leading rabbis of his time frequented his home. He died at a young age and left many manuscripts of Torah novellae of halacha and Aggada. (Zichron Elazar, Miskolc 1937, Leaf 67).
4 volumes which contain the eight parts of this elaborate edition, 42 cm. Fancy leather bindings, with impression of the name "Pinchas Zelig Lev".