Sefer Mizbe'ach HaZahav, with Seder Pitum HaKetoret and prayers for salvation from plagues. Includes a Halachic, homiletic and Kabbalistic treatise regarding the Ketoret (incense) and its properties. Authored by R. Shlomo ben R. Mordechai of Mezritch, student of the Maharshal (R. Shlomo Luria). Basel: Konrad Waldkirch, 1602. First edition. Illustrated title page, with putti.
Interesting approbations from the great Torah scholars of the generation: R. Mordechai Yaffe, author of the Levush; R. Ephraim of Lunschitz (Leczyca), author of "Ollelot Ephraim"; R. Moshe ben R. Avraham, author of "Mateh Moshe"; R. Yehoshua Falk Cohen, author of the Sema; R. Yeshaya Horowitz, author of the Shela, and R. Yehuda Leib Eilenburg, author of "Minchat Yehuda".
Many old signatures from the cities of Broda and Holesov, 17th century. At the center of the title page is the signature of "the small Yisrael Segal of Vienna, currently in Broda", dated 1695.
R. Yisrael Segal of Vienna (died 1706), was rabbi of Broda (Uherský Brod, Moravia), from 1688-1696. He was the foremost disciple of the "Sha'ar Ephraim" of Vilna, R. Ephraim Hakohen. R. Ephraim lived in Vienna from 1663-1666 in the home of R. Yaakov Koppel Segal Frankel, father of R. Yisrael Segal. R. Yaakov Koppel was a wealthy man who supported several Torah scholars in his home. He also built the main Beit Medrash in the city, where R. Ephraim Hakohen served as Rosh Yeshiva. In 1666, R. Ephraim left Vienna to assume the rabbinate of Obuda (Budapest). R. Yaakov Koppel and his son R. Yisrael are mentioned in the introduction to "Sha'ar Ephraim" (written by the author's son): "…He was accepted in Vienna into the home of the renowned R. Koppel Halevi, father of R. Yisrael Halevi, philanthropist and supporter of Torah, a great Torah scholar in his own right, currently rabbi of Broda…".
R. Yisrael was the uncle of the wife of the Chacham Tzvi, R. Tzvi Ashkenazi. (His father, R. Koppel Halevi was the father-in-law of R. Zalman Mirels, father-in-law of the Chacham Tzvi).
R. Yisrael Segal was renowned as a great Kabbalist, and in 1696 wrote an approbation to the kabbalistic book "Vayakhel Moshe". He served as rabbi in Holesov from 1680-1688, after which he was rabbi of Pinsk for a short time. He then returned to Wurzburg, where he served as rabbi of the entire region (during which period he lived in Herzfeld). His son R. Shimon Segal succeeded him as rabbi of Wurzburg, and his son R. Yissachar Berman Segal was the rabbi of Kitzingen.
The title page contains the signature: "the small Mordechai Chazan of Holesov". The reverse contains the ownership inscription: "I bought this book from R. Avraham Dayan of Broda; the small Mordechai David ben R. Pesach of Prostitz [Prostejow]"; as well as a further inscription: "I borrowed this volume from R. Mordechai Hamburg".
44 leaves. 18 cm. Good-fair condition. Dampstains. Slight repairs to the title page margins. Non-original binding.

Responsa of R. Moshe Alshich. Venice: Zuan (Giovanni) di Gara, [1605]. First edition.
The endpapers contain handwritten inscriptions ascribing ownership to R. Aharon David Deutch, rabbi of Balassagyarmat, signed by his student, "Shlomo Stern". [Another signature reads "Shneur Burger"]. The title page contains the stamp of his son, R. Yosef Yisrael Deutch, rabbi of Balassagyarmat. R. Aharon David Deutch, (1813-1878), author of "Goren David", was a prominent disciple of the Chatam Sofer, who praised his great fear of heaven. The Chatam Sofer also stated that he depended on the prayers of R. Aharon David, and on another occasion remarked that he would have a great share in the World to Come. When R. Deutch would visit Pressburg, the Ktav Sofer (son of the Chatam Sofer) would don Shabbat clothing in his honor. In 1846 he became the rabbi in Sebes, and in 1851 he became rabbi in Balassagyarmat, where his officiated until his passing in 1878. [See HaChatam Sofer Vetalmidav, pp. 49-52]. His son R. Moshe Deutch (1846-1931) assisted his father in the administration of his yeshiva, and from 1875 served as rabbi in Salgótarján. His son R. Yosef Yisrael Deutch, (1845-1927) author of "Ben Garni", was rabbi of Szendro, and in 1878 succeeded his father as rabbi of Balassagyarmat.
243 leaves. 21 cm. Overall good-fair condition. Most of the pages are in good condition. Stains and wear. Tears to the title page with damage to the border. Tears to other pages. One page detached. Original leather binding; worn and damaged.

Sefer HaLevushim by R. Mordechai Yoffe. Four parts: Levush Techelet and Levush HaChur - on Orach Chaim; Levush Ateret Zahav - on Yoreh Deah; Levush Habutz veHaArgaman - on Even HaEzer; Levush Ir Shushan - on Choshen Mishpat. Venice: Bragadini in the printing house of Giovanni Cajon, 1620.
On each of the four title pages is the signature of R. "Shlomo of Dubno" (in square script). Ownership inscriptions from 1772 of R. "Yehuda Leib" son of R. Chaim, who bought the books from "R. Yehuda Leib of Gologa (Glogow)".
Many pages throughout both volumes contain glosses, corrections and notations, mostly short, by several different authors, in Ashkenazic script [19th century]. Several of the later glosses are signed: "A.H.C.".
At the beginning of section Orach Chaim is an introduction by the proofreader, R. Yehuda Aryeh of Modena. Approbations from eight Venetian rabbis, R. Yehuda Aryeh of Modena and others, are found at the end of section Even HaEzer.
R. Shlomo of Dubno (1739-1813), disciple of R. Shlomo of Chelm, author of Mirkevet HaMishne, published many books, both his own and books written by others. He was famous for his knowledge of the wisdom of scriptures, mesorah and Hebrew grammar. During the time he stayed in Vilna, the Vilna Gaon asked him to investigate the masoret of Nevi'im and Ketuvim (petuchot, setumot chaserot and yeterot) - see testimony of R. Pesach Pinfer of Vilna (in his article in Beit Va'ad LaChachamim, 1902 and in his book Masoret HaTorah V'Hanevi'im, Vilna 1906). He was one of the editors of the "Biur" on Bereshit by Moshe Mendelssohn, but eventually left him and published Chumashim on his own. He received approbations for publishing these Chumashim from the leading Torah scholars of his times (R. Shmuel Rabbi of Vilna; R. Chaim of Volozhin, R. Zelmele of Volozhin, disciples of the Vilna Gaon; Torah leaders of Vilna, Shklov and Slotzk, the kloiz (small study hall) in Brody; rabbis of Lviv, Berlin, Frankfurt and others).
Two volumes. 201 [2]; 148, [2] leaves, 87; 162, [2] leaves. 35 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Stains and damage to the title page of the first volume. Detached title page. First volume has non-original binding, partly detached and repaired with adhesive tape. Volume II has original leather binding; front cover detached. Damaged bindings.

Sifra D'Tzeniuta with the commentary of the Gra, (Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna). Vilna and Grodno, [1820]. First edition of the Gra's commentary. Includes approbations of Vilna's rabbis, a preface by R. Chaim of Volozhin (in which he describes the greatness of the Gra), and a preface by the publisher R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, grandson of the Gra.
This volume is indispensable in understanding the Gra's approach to Kabbalah. This particular edition is known for its holiness since its content is holy and it was printed by G-d-fearing Jews. The Chazon Ish (R. Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz), in praise of this edition, would tell the story of a dybbuk (evil spirit) that was brought before one of the great Torah scholars of the previous generation. The scholar presented the dybbuk with two wrapped editions of this volume. The dybbuk remained unaffected by the second edition of this volume [Vilna, 1892], but was unable to touch the first edition volume. The scholar explained that since the first edition was published by G-d-fearing Jews, its great intrinsic holiness affected the dybbuk to a greater degree than the second edition, printed by Maskilim. A similar story was described by R. Shmuel David Munk, rabbi of Haifa, in the name of a Sephardic kabbalist from Jerusalem, who attempted to exorcise a dybbuk that had entered a human being. The person was brought before the kabbalist, who placed a second edition volume on the man to no avail. When he used a first-edition volume, however, the man was cured [Zechor LeDavid, II, 159]. R. Munk also quotes R. Eliezer Gordon of Telshe, who reported that when the first-edition volume was placed in the hands of a dybbuk, he screamed "The Vilner! The Vilner!", but did not react when he was similarly exposed to a second edition volume [ibid].
[6], 59, [3] leaves. 21 cm. High-quality thick, light paper. Wide margins. Several handwritten corrections. Good overall condition. Stains. Slight worming to the endpapers and the inner margins of several pages. Original binding (half-leather); damaged.
The order of the prefaces in this copy matches the book listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, entry 0177999, in which the preface of R. Chaim of Volozhin precedes that of the publisher.