Netivot HaShalom, the Five Books of the Torah with Tikun Sofrim, German translation and commentary by Moses Mendelssohn, Solomon Dubno, Naphtali Hirz Wessely, Herz Homberg and Aaron Friedenthal. Berlin: George Friedrich Starcke, 1783. Hebrew and German (in Hebrew characters). Five volumes.

First edition of Mendelssohn's Beur – the Pentateuch, translated into German and presented with a new commentary, seen as the stellar achievement of the Haskalah movement.

Five-volume set, in original leather bindings, with gilt decorations on spine, and gilt initials of owner's name on front bindings: "W. S. S.".

The work was composed by a group of scholars, headed by Mendelssohn, over ten years, between 1773 and 1783, and was fiercely opposed by the rabbinic leadership, who went as far as attempting to prevent its printing. To finance the enterprise, estimated at 3,500 thalers, Mendelssohn and his partners assembled a group of subscribers from all over Europe who jointly funded the publishing of the 750 copies comprising the first edition. The printing itself took three years, from 1780 to 1783, during which time the work was published in installments until it was completed.

The present copy is from the first edition. Each of the books of the Torah is bound separately, with a title page at the beginning of Bereshit (title page at beginning of Shemot lacking; title pages for other books were not printed). At beginning of Bereshit are bound: Or LaNetivah, a general introduction to the Five Books of the Torah, by Moses Mendelssohn; rabbinic approbations; Mehalel Rea (introduction and poem by Naphtali Hirz Wessely), a two-leaf introduction by Solomon Dubno (not completed in printing), and two additional title pages for Bereshit.

Lacking rare engraved title page, which appears in only some copies.

Birth inscription on back endpaper of Shemot.

Five volumes. Bereshit: [24], 8, [2], 299 leaves. Without engraved title page, appearing in only some copies. Shemot: 204 leaves. Lacking title page. Vayikra: [2], 218 leaves. Bamidbar: 144 leaves. Devarim: 125, [1] leaves. 20.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Small tears in several places. Original leather bindings, with decorations on spines and original color endpapers. Wear and much damage to bindings (open tears to spines and bindings in several places, and many rubbing marks to some volumes).

CB, no. 934; Zedner, p. 111.