Thesaurus Linguae Sanctae / Sefer HaShorashim, roots of Lashon Hakodesh [the Holy Language], by Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak) with explanations by Rabbi Eliyahu Bachur. Venice, 1546-1548. Justinian printing press.
Date on title page: MarCheshvan 1546, however, this edition was completed on Adar 1548 as written in the poem of R. Eliyahu Bachur at the end of the book. The Latin title appears on the title page [Thesaurus Linguae Sanctae]. Ownership inscription: "Machluf Barda".
[2] pages, 5-548 columns, [1] page. 30 cm. Good condition. Stains, dampstains. Old worn, detached binding.

Mishne Torah L'HaRambam, with Migdal Oz and Magid Mishne. Sefer Hafla'ah, Zera'im, Avodah, Korbanot, Taharah, Nezikin, Mishpatim and Shoftim. [Venice, 1550-1551. Justinian printing press].
Ancient ownership inscriptions in Italian Hebrew script: "I, David Chai purchased this book", "Shlomo Matzliach of Kaloi". Ownership signatures and stamps from Morocco: "Maimon di David Adahan", "Yitzchak Dehan".
Three volumes. Vol 1: 394-480 leaves. Vol. 2: 489-585 leaves. Vol. 3: 672-767, [1] leaves. Lacking [1] title page and leaves 481-488, 586-571, [4]. 36.5 cm. Condition varies, good-fair. Most leaves are in good condition. Stains. Restored tears in a few places. Worming. Non-contemporary bindings with leather spines. Damaged bindings.
This edition is a rival copy of the Bragadin edition printed in the same year in Venice. Marco Antonio Justinian, who founded his printing press for Hebrew books five years earlier in 1545, copied glosses by the Maharam of Padua printed by Bragadin. The Maharam Padua, author of the glosses, applied to Polish sages and to his cousin the Rama and they prohibited the purchase of Justinian's edition. This dispute between the two Christian printers finally led to the decree of burning books issued in Italy in 1553. See enclosed material.

Hilchot Rav Alfas on Tractate Berachot, Halachot Ketanot and Seder Mo'ed, with all the commentaries. Sabbionetta, [1554]. Printed by Tuvia Foa. First edition of Shiltei Giborim.
Ownership inscriptions on title page. Several marginalia in Oriental handwriting.
This edition of Rav Alfas was published during the decree issued in Italy to burn the Holy Books. This decree was carried out commencing with the burning of the Talmud in Rome on Rosh Hashana, 1553. For the duration of this decree, study and printing of the Talmud was prohibited, however the books of the Rif were permitted. Therefore, Italian scholars at that time mostly studied from the books of the Rif which were used as a foundation on which the words of the Talmudic sages were reconstructed according to the books written by the Rishonim and other sources. Thus, this edition became especially vital and valuable. (For more information on the decree of Holy Books in Italy, see: Introduction to Chiddushei Rabbi Moshe Kazis, Mechon Yerushalayim, 1988; A. Ya’ari, Burning of the Talmud in Italy; M. Benayahu, the Hebrew Printing in Cremona; etc.).
The famous composition Shiltei HaGiborim, written at that time by R. Yehoshua Bo'az, a leading Italian posek, was printed for the first time in this edition.
98, 97-170, [2], 171-187, 189-225, 225-229, [1], 227-267, 265-410 leaves. 37.5 cm. Condition varies, most leaves are in good condition, several leaves in fair condition. Restored coarse tears to title page, affecting text. Restored tears affecting text to some leaves. Stains and wear, dampness traces and worming to some leaves. New leather binding.

Manot HaLevi, commentary on Megillat Esther (including the text) by Kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz. Venice, 1585. Printed by Giovanni (Zuan) di Gara. First edition.
Signature on title page: "Gershon… Altschul".
On page 19b, at the end of the introduction, is a handwritten section [in Sephardi writing] regarding "summary of the kavana of Purim…".
[4], 231 leaves. 19 cm. Stains. Open tears to title page, restored with paper. Several detached leaves. Contemporary leather binding, damaged and detached.
Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, author of Lecha Dodi, wrote this book on "the holy soil of Safed" (as written on the title page), to send as Mishloach Manot to his father-in-law on Purim 1529.

Sefer HaShe'arim, Sha'arei Dura with commentary of the Maharshal Rabbi Shlomo Luria. Basel, [1599]. Printed by Konrad Waldkirch. Published by R. "Elya son of R. Moshe Luantz of Frankfurt am Main".
Mahadura Batra of the rulings and commentary of the Maharshal on topics pertaining to the laws of issur and heter, called Mahadurat "Mechonot Shlomo". That same year another edition with different content was printed in Lublin, called "Ateret Shlomo" [see Vol. 2 of Sha'arei Dura of the Deblizky edition, Bnei Brak, 2016].
The publisher of this edition is the renowned kabbalist, R. Eliyahu Luantz, Rabbi of Worms (1464-1531), a prominent rabbi and posek in his times. Close disciple of the Maharal of Prague and friend of the Tosfot Yom Tov. Born in Frankfurt to R. Moshe (son of R. Yoselman, the renowned leader and lobbyist on behalf of German Jewry, descendant of the Luria family, the family name evolving to Lu'ash or Lu'ansh/Lu'antz = Luria Ashkenazi. In his writings, R. Eliyahu Luantz mentions his relatives, the Maharshal and the Arizal). During 1599-1600, he weathered a period of exile in the city of Basel at which time he published several books. Afterward, he moved to Worms, in which he held the positions of head of Yeshiva and an orator. Later, he served as Rabbi of Hanau, Fulda, Friedberg and Mainz, and returned to his rabbinical position in Worms. He became known throughout the world as Rabbi Eliyahu "Ba'al Shem" due to his study of Kabbalah and his practice of writing amulets using his knowledge of practical kabbalah. One of his well-known disciples is Rabbi Yoel, the Ba'al Shem of Zamość, an illustrious hidden tsaddik and kabbalist, who was the teacher of the teacher of R. Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov of Medzhibozh, father of the Chassidic movement.
97, [1] leaves. 19 cm. Good condition, stains and wear. New binding.
On leaf 2 is a signature in an ancient Ashkenazi script [c. beginning of the 17th century] of R. Shimon Shwab.