Auction 95 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Letters and Manuscripts, Engravings and Jewish Ceremonial Objects
Vayikra, Part III of the Five Books of the Torah, with Haftarot, Rashi, Baal HaTurim and Siftei Chachamim, and with the commentaries of the Chida – Nachal Kedumim on the Torah and Nachal Sorek on the Haftarot. Safed: Yisrael Bak, [1833].
Some of the words on the title page are printed in red ink.
This is the second or third book printed by R. Yisrael Bak in Safed. The other parts of the Chumash from this press are unknown, and it appears that only the Book of Vayikra was printed. Bak printed another edition in tandem without the commentaries of the Chida.
Signature on title page: "Ezra Dweck HaKohen" [the Dweck family was an illustrious family of kohanim in Syria which produced leading Torah scholars, rabbis and poskim].
137 leaves. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of former dampness (with light mold stains). Worming, affecting text, partially repaired with paper filling. Open tears, affecting text, including marginal open tears to the title page, and a large open tear to the final leaf (with loss to about half the leaf), repaired with paper filling. Some leaves supplied from another copy. On the title page is an ink drawing around the title and location of printing. New binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Kenesiyah LeShem Shamayim, against witchcraft and demon worship, by R. Menashe Matlub Sithon, Rabbi of Syria and head of the Safed Beit Din. Jerusalem: Eliyahu and Moshe Sason, 1874. Only edition.
Copy of the author's son R. Chaim Sithon, Rabbi of Safed – at the top of the title page is his handwritten ownership inscription.
The author, R. Menashe Matlub Sithon (d. 1876), Rabbi of Syria, immigrated to Safed and served as the head of its Beit Din in his later years. His son R. Chaim Sithon was born in Safed and later served as Rabbi of the Sephardic community in the city.
Kenesiyah LeShem Shamayim was composed to oppose magical practices that had spread among Jewish women in Jerusalem, Aleppo and elsewhere, particularly "indulco", a ceremony of "sweetening" held for the demons, for cures, birth and various troubles.
[2], 93 leaves. 19 cm. Good-fair condition. Minor stains and wear. Worming. Original binding, worn and damaged.
Shoshana Halevy, no. 210.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Printed booklet, Kol MeHeichal, polemic against the people of the New Yishuv who opposed the Halukka system of charity distribution in Eretz Israel. [Jerusalem: Yoel Moshe Salomon, 1885.] Printed without title page.
The booklet contains the printed signatures of about eighty leaders of the Ashkenazi Perushim and Chassidic communities.
The author of the booklet is apparently the famous traveler R. Yaakov Sapir. The author describes the economic contributions of the Old Yishuv in contrast to the passivity of the new settlers, and goes on to describe the strain on the Halukka donations in Jerusalem as a result of refugees from the pogroms in Russia and Romania in 1881.
This booklet raised much interest in its time, and was the Old Yishuv's official response to the polemic against the Halukka institutions.
8 pages. 20-21 cm. Fair condition. Many stains. Much wear and tears, mainly to last two leaves. Some handwritten corrections. Detached leaves, without binding.
Shoshana Halevy, no. 529 (who calls this "an especially rare booklet").
Recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book project based on a photocopy.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Collection of books from early Jerusalem presses, 1863-1903.
12 books. Varying size and condition. New bindings. The books were not thoroughly examined, and are being sold as is.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.