Shaarei Ora, kabbalistic principles, by the kabbalist R. Yosef Gikatilla. Riva di Trento: [Jacob Marcaria, 1561]. Bound with: Shaarei Tzedek - kabbalistic methodology, Divine Names and the Ten Sefirot, by R. Yosef son of Karnitol (Gikatilla). Riva di Trento: [Jacob Marcaria, 1561]. First edition.
Ownership inscriptions on the title page in Italian script dated November 1655: "…Acquired with my money, Shlomo son of R. David Hayo, which I purchased from R. Yona Moscato for the price of 9 paolo, today, Thursday 11th Cheshvan 1655", other inscriptions.
Corrections and glosses in early Italian script, from an unidentified Torah scholar, who was clearly well-versed in Kabbalah.
Censorship inscriptions on the first and final leaves.
2 books bound together. 84; 52 leaves. 19 cm. Most leaves in good condition. Stains. Dampstains. Light wear to first and last leaves. Worming to some leaves, not affecting text. Tear to final leaf, repaired with paper. Censorship deletions. Stamps on title page and final leaf. Old binding, detached and damaged.
Shaarei Ora was printed twice in 1561: Once in Mantua, with a colophon dated end of Tammuz that year, and a second time in Riva di Trento, without indication of year and date. In this copy, Shaarei Ora and Shaarei Tzedek are bound together, and they appear to have been printed together. The colophon of Shaarei Tzedek indicates 15th Elul 1561 as the date of the completion of the printing, though it is unclear when exactly Shaarei Ora was printed, and whether it was printed before or after the Mantua edition.

Heh Lachem Zera LiTzedaka - responsa and rulings from R. Yehuda Minz and R. Meir of Padua. Venice: Alvise Bragadin, 1553. First edition.
This is the first edition which was printed in the lifetime of the author, R. Meir Katzenellenbogen of Padua, grandson and disciple of R. Yehuda Minz, who personally brought to print and published this book. In his preface at the beginning of the book, R. Meir relates of the manuscripts of his teacher R. Yehuda Minz (father of his father-in-law), and signs: "So says Meir son of R. Yitzchak Katznellenbogen of Padua".
Maharam Padua was a rabbi of Padua and the Veneto region, and one of the leading Torah scholars of his time in Germany and Italy. He was the grandson of R. Yechiel Luria Rabbi of Brisk D'Lita. He exchanged halachic correspondence with his two illustrious cousins, R. Shlomo Luria (the Maharshal) and R. Moshe Isserles (the Rema), and these responsa were printed in this book, in Responsa of the Maharshal and in Responsa of the Rema.
Signatures and inscriptions: Ownership inscriptions in several places (some deleted), in which the writer "Moshe son of the late R. Yitzchak Aggio ---" attests that he purchased the book (R. Yitzchak Aggio, "the pious Sefardi" of Ferrara, is mentioned in the writings of R. Azaria dei Rossi, who relates that R. Yitzchak immigrated to Eretz Israel, and that his widow, following his passing, returned to Ferrara to the home of her eldest son R. Yom Tov Aggio, and showed R. Azaria an original early coin of Shekel HaKodesh from Eretz Israel - see enclosed material); another signature on title page: "This is my book Shlomo de Busal" (the de Busal family was a renowned family of rabbis in Salonika); inscriptions in Yiddish on the endpaper.
Censorship inscription on the final page.
134 leaves. 20 cm. High-quality paper. Good condition. Stains. Dampstains. Two detached leaves. Minor damage. Marginal traces of tape to a few leaves. Early parchment binding (reinforced). Damage to binding.

Midrash Rabba, on the Five Books of the Torah and the Five Megillot. [Krakow]: Isaac son of Aaron Prostitz, [1587-1588].
A few handwritten glosses. Ownership inscriptions on the divisional title page of Midrash Chamesh Megillot: "…Yehuda Leib Segal of Fürth, son of R. Shlomo Tzvi Segal". Additional ownership inscriptions from the same owner: "…Yehuda Leib son of R. Tzvi Hirsh Shlomo Segal of Fürth"; "Yehuda Leib Segal of Fürth"; "…Yosef Josbel son of R. Tzvi Hirsh Shlomo Segal of Fürth" (R. Yosef Josbel Segal of Fürth - author of Emek HaShaveh printed in Emek Yehoshua, Offenbach, 1722. Son-in- law of R. Shimon Segal Rabbi of Heidingsfeld and Würzburg).
Incomplete copy. 45-282, 284-299, 301-303; 130 leaves. Lacking 46 leaves: 1-44, 283, 300. 28.5 cm. Slightly darkened paper. Fair-poor condition. Stains and extensive wear. Dampstains. Tears affecting text with some loss (in a few places, missing text completed by hand). Leaves trimmed close to text, affecting text (affecting border of divisional title page of the Five Megillot, and opening ornament on subsequent leaf, with some loss). Marginal creases. Detached leaves and gatherings. Without binding.