Auction 102 Part 1 Hebrew Manuscripts and Books from the Victor (Avigdor) Klagsbald Collection
Halichot Eli, By Rabbi Shlomo Algazi – Izmir, 1658 – Many Glosses by 18th-Century Italian Torah Scholar – Signature of Rabbi Avraham son of Rabbi Zechariah Fontanella
Halichot Eli, Talmudic and halachic methodology, by R. Shlomo Algazi. Izmir: Avraham son of Yedidiah Gabbai Kaf Nachat, [1658].
On endpapers, many inscriptions and scribbles, repeating many times the names: "Zechariah Fontanella of Reggio", "Zechariah Chaim Fontanella", "Zechariah Fontanella son of R. Avraham Fontanella of Reggio", and more. At top of title page, signature (partially deleted): "M.Z.T.". Another signature, calligraphic, on title page: "Avraham son of R. Zechariah Fontanella".
Many glosses in neat Italian script – lengthy learned glosses, by an Italian Torah scholar of the 18th century. In some of them, the writer comments on or attacks the author's statements (for example: "Everything he wrote here is impossible…", "I already wrote above that there is no proof from there…", and more).
We know of a R. Avraham Mazal Tov son of R. Zechariah Fontanella, who was the son-in-law of R. Yeshayah Carmi, Rabbi of Reggio (disciple and successor of R. Yisrael Binyamin Bassan). A ketubah of R. Avraham Fontanella and Gentila daughter of R. Carmi, from Av 1795, is located in the New York Public Library. The author of the present glosses may be R. Yeshayah Carmi, but this requires further investigation.
80 leaves. 19.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains and wear. Old leather binding, damaged, partially repaired.
One of the first products of the Hebrew press in Izmir; see: Y.Sh. Spiegel, Alei Sefer, IV, 1977, pp. 126-127, who reads the chronogram as dating the printing to 1658 rather than 1663.