Espejo de la vanidad del mundo ["Mirror of the Vanity of the World"], by Abraham Pereyra. Amsterdam: Alexandro Ianse, 1671. First edition. Spanish, with some words in Hebrew.

An ethical work comprised of five parts, discussing the nature of the soul, the duty to perform the mitzvot, fear and love of God, punishment in Gehinnom and reward in Gan Eden.

The book bears the approbations of three rabbis of Amsterdam, R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, R. Moshe Refael de Aguilar and R. Yoshiyahu Pardo; as well as praise for the author by R. Yitzchak Orobio de Castro and a poem in praise of the author by Daniel HaLevi de Barrios.

The author,
Abraham Pereyra (d. 1699), a descendant of Marranos and a rich and influential merchant, lived in Amsterdam where he was a leader of the Jewish community. The present work was written to bolster Jewish faith, while making heavy use of Spanish Catholic political thought.

[20] leaves, 568 pages. [4] leaves of index and errata bound after introduction, instead of end of book. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Creases and tears to margins of several leaves. Original parchment binding. Stains and defects to binding.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Sermoens de David Nunes-Torres, pregador da celebre irmandade de Abi Yetomim [Sermons of R. David Nunes-Torres, preacher of the Avi Yetomim Brotherhood]. Amsterdam: Moseh Dias, [1690]. Portuguese. Three works in one volume (general title page at beginning and three partial divisional title pages).

Three sermons delivered by R. David Nunes-Torres, a famous preacher of Portuguese origin in Amsterdam.

R. David Nunes-Torres (d. 1728) was a preacher, thinker, proofreader and publisher of the Sephardic-Portuguese community of Amsterdam. A disciple of R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, he served as preacher and later as Rabbi of the Portuguese-Sephardic community of the Hague. He worked as a printer at the press of Immanuel Athias, and was involved in several famous controversies with Amsterdam rabbis.

On endpapers at beginning of volume, bibliographical inscriptions in early handwriting (Hebrew, Portuguese and Dutch), with contents, sources, and references to manuscripts, works and catalogs.

[6] leaves, 16 pages; [2] leaves; 19 pages; [2] leaves; 18, 23-28 pages. Lacking pages 19-22 of last sequence. Approx. 20 cm. Wide margins. Overall good condition. Stains and light wear. Old inscriptions to margins. Bookplate. Original parchment binding, stained and worn.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Arbol de Vidas, en el qual se contienen los dinim mas necessarios que deve observar todo Yisrael, Sacados de Varios y Graves Authores [Tree of Life, containing all the most necessary halachot for all Jews to observe], by R. Avraham Vaez. [Amsterdam], 1692. First edition. Spanish.

Summary of halachot in Spanish, selected from various books and authors, by R. Avraham Vaez, rabbi of the Nefutzot Yehudah community in Bayonne (southwestern France, near the Spanish border). The work was meant for the members of the descendants of Marranos of Spain and Portugal who returned to openly practicing Judaism but were not familiar with the Hebrew language.

At end of book, décima (ten-line poem) by Abraham Rodriguez Faro.

88, 83-172, 179-186, [177]-204, [4] pages. Mispagination. Lacking 3 leaves (gathering Y). 14.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dark stains affecting text. Minor marginal tears to some leaves. Close trimming, bordering text and affecting headers of some leaves. Bookplate. Old leather binding, somewhat worn.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Zivchei Yehudah – "Zibhe Jeudah Dinim de Sehita & Bedica", laws of shechitot and bedikot in Portuguese, by R. Yehuda Piza (Jeudah Piza). Amsterdam: printer not indicated, [1740]. Portuguese, with some Hebrew.

17th and 18th century Amsterdam was home to a large Sephardi community. Most of its members were descendants of Marranos who emigrated from Spain and Portugal a century after the expulsion. The present book was printed for the members of this community who were unfamiliar with the Hebrew language.

[8], 75, [5] pages. 17 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Wear. Marginal tears and open tears to some leaves, not affecting text, repaired with paper filling. Old leather binding, with defects.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Rokeach, by R. Elazar [of Worms] son of R. Yehudah. [Fano: Gershom Soncino, Erev Pesach 1505]. First edition.

A foremost work of halachah and ethics. Many bibliographers hold this to be the first Hebrew book printed with a title page.

The author,
R. Elazar of Worms (ca. 1160-1234), was a kabbalist and halachic authority, a leading member of the Chassidei Ashkenaz and the Tosafists. He was a disciple of his father's cousin R. Yehudah HaChassid, and of his father R. Yehudah son of R. Kalonymus of Mainz. He composed many works, in halachah, Biblical commentary, ethics and kabbalah, but is best known for his illustrious work, the Rokeach, which he composed after his wife and children were murdered in his presence (the numerical value of Rokeach is equal to that of his name, Elazar, as he writes in his preface). The Rokeach contains halachic rulings and customs, and serves as an important source for many rulings of the early Tosafists and Ashkenazi Torah scholars in the 12th century. It encompasses a variety of fields and Talmudic topics – halachic pilpul, customs, reasons for halachot, ethics, and more.

This book was recognized as a primary source on halachah and custom, and had a far-ranging impact on halachic literature.

Many censorship expurgations (deleted words supplied by hand on several leaves).

Ownership inscriptions on title page, in Italian script, of "Yoav son of Baruch degli Piattelli" – R. Yoav son of R. Baruch degli Piattelli was a rabbi of Rome in 1668, publisher of Margaliot Tovot by R. Yaakov Tzahalon, Venice 1665. "…I, Yochanan Ghiron, purchased it through R. Binyamin" – R. Yochanan Ghiron, Torah scholar and kabbalist, Rabbi of Florence, corresponded at length with R. Shmuel Aboab; his responsa appear in Responsa Rabach, Pachad Yitzchak and other works of Italian rabbis. Additional inscriptions on paper mounted at top of title page.

On second leaf, signature: "'Acquisition of the servant' Chaim Mordechai Lebeton" – R. Chaim Mordechai Lebeton (1780-1869), a leading Torah scholar and Rabbi of Aleppo. Author of Nochach HaShulchan.

Short marginal glosses by various writers.

Latin inscriptions in text and margins, on some leaves.

[108] leaves. Lacking last leaf (with colophon). 28.5 cm. Fair condition, approx. ten of first leaves in fair-poor condition. Stains, including large dampstains to most leaves. Tears, including large open tears to title page and first twelve leaves, affecting text in many places, repaired with paper (with handwritten replacements of most of missing text, in Italian script). Worming, affecting text. Early parchment binding, with new spine. Defects to binding.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.