Auction 97 Part 2 Rare and Important Items

Hasagot HaRamban on Sefer HaMitzvot by the Rambam – Constantinople, 1510 – First Edition – First Printed Halachic Work of the Ramban

Opening: $25,000
Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000
Sold for: $31,250
Including buyer's premium

Hasagot HaRamban on Sefer HaMitzvot by the Rambam. Constantinople: David and Shmuel ibn Nachmias, 1510. First edition.
Printed without title page. At the top of the first leaf: "Hasagot of the Ramban against the Rambam's count of mitzvot".
First edition of the Ramban's famous Hasagot critiquing the Rambam's enumeration of commandments, and the first halachic work of the Ramban to be printed.
The Ramban's Hasagot are structured based on the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot, another work first printed in Constantinople in the same time period.
In the first part of the work, Ramban critiques the fourteen principles propounded by the Rambam as the basis for his count of mitzvot. In the second part of the work, Ramban comments on various commandments counted or omitted by the Rambam. Throughout the work, Ramban defends the count of mitzvot propounded by Halachot Gedolot (Bahag), which Rambam often disputes.
Several early authorities refer to this work as "Sefer HaMitzvot by the Ramban", but this name was almost entirely supplanted after its printing.
Colophon on last leaf: "The labor was completed… by the typesetters… R. David and his son R. Shmuel ibn Nachmias… And people assisted them… to benefit the public, and they dedicated their money to perform this great mitzvah… And it was completed on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz [1510] in Constantinople…".
Stamps (blurred) on last leaf: "Yaakov Tzvi Katz", "Yaakov Tzvi Katz, Rabbi of Hajdúszoboszló" – R. Yaakov Katz, Rabbi of Hajdúszoboszló, author of Leket HaKemach HeChadash. Succeeded his father as Rabbi of Hajdúszoboszló, a position his family held for four generations: his father R. Shmuel Katz, Rabbi of Hajdúszoboszló (d. 1919), son-in-law of R. Yaakov Tzvi Weiss-Weissman (d. 1889 or 1890), son of R. Avraham Weissman, Rabbi of Hajdúszoboszló (and son-in-law of Rebbe Shmuel Frankel, Rabbi of Hajdúdorog, author of Imrei Shefer).
Correction and short gloss on leaves of book, by two writers.


Complete copy. [70] leaves. Approx. 18 cm. Good-fair condition, last leaves in fair condition. Stains, including dampstains (many stains to last leaves). Wear and creases. Tears, including small marginal open tears. Worming to last leaves, slightly affecting text. Margins of several leaves repaired with paper. Close trimming, affecting text on one leaf. New leather binding. Placed in matching leather slipcase.

Incunables and Early Printed Books
Incunables and Early Printed Books