F i n e J u d a i C a . printed booKs, manusCripts, Ceremonial obJeCts & GraphiC art K e s t e n b au m & C om pa n y thursday, nov ember 19th, 2015 K est e n bau m & C o m pa ny . Auctioneers of Rare Books, Manuscripts and Fine Art A Lot 61 Catalogue of F i n e J u d a i C a . BOOK S, MANUSCRIPTS, GR APHIC & CEREMONIAL A RT INCLUDING A SINGULAR COLLECTION OF EARLY PRINTED HEBREW BOOK S, BIBLICAL & R AbbINIC M ANUSCRIPTS (PART II) Sold by order of the Execution Office, District High Court, Tel Aviv ——— To be Offered for Sale by Auction, Thursday, 19th November, 2015 at 3:00 pm precisely ——— Viewing Beforehand: Sunday, 15th November - 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Monday, 16th November - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Tuesday, 17th November - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Wednesday, 18th November - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm No Viewing on the Day of Sale This Sale may be referred to as: “Sempo” Sale Number Sixty Six Illustrated Catalogues: $38 (US) * $45 (Overseas) KestenbauM & CoMpAny Auctioneers of Rare Books, Manuscripts and Fine Art . 242 West 30th street, 12th Floor, new york, NY 10001 • tel: 212 366-1197 • Fax: 212 366-1368 e-mail: [email protected] • World Wide Web site: www.Kestenbaum.net K est e n bau m & C o m pa ny . Chairman: Daniel E. Kestenbaum Operations Manager: Jackie S. Insel Client Relations: Sandra E. Rapoport, Esq. Printed Books & Manuscripts: Rabbi Eliezer Katzman Rabbi Dovid Kamenetsky (Consultant) Ceremonial & Graphic Art: Abigail H. Meyer Catalogue Art Director and Photographer: Anthony Leonardo Auctioneer: Mark O. Howald (NYCDCA License no: 1460490) For all inquiries relating to this sale please contact: Daniel E. Kestenbaum Order of Sale: A Singular Collection Hebrew Manuscripts: Lots 1 - 82 Printed Books: Lots 114 - 161 Other Properties Manuscripts: Lots 83 - 113 Printed Books: Lots 162 - 305 Graphic Art: Lots 306 - 336 Ceremonial Objects: Lots 337 - End of Sale Front Cover Illustration: (see Lot 83) Back Cover Illustration: (see Lot 302) List of prices realized will be posted on our Web site, www.kestenbaum.net, following the sale. — A S IN G ULAR C OLLECTION — MANUSCRIPTS (Lots 1-82) Lot 1 1 ALFANDARI, ELIJAH BEN JACOB Michtav Me’Eliyahu [commentary to Tur Choshen Mishpat] Manuscript in Hebrew; written in semi- cursive Sephardic hand on paper. ff. 379. Trimmed, previous owners marks, variously worn and stained, few taped repairs with marginal loss. Later sheep, rubbed. Thick 4to. Constantinople, 17th-18th century. $10,000-15,000 ❧ UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT. A thick volume of a most important work on the fourth section of Arba Turim (Choshen Mishpat). The manuscript also includes a commentary to the second chapter of Tractate Kehuvoth (Ha’isha Shenisarmila) and Kuntress Hatefisa. R. Eliyahu Alfandari (c.1670-1717) served as the Head of the Rabbinical Court in Constantinople and was one of the greatest halachic authorities of his period. His halachic writings to this day are still regarded as among the most authoritative. The Alfandari family originated in Andalusia claiming descent from Bezalel of the Tribe of Judah. Following the Expulsion of 1492 the family spread throughout the Ottoman Empire and France. For many generations they were among the major rabbinic and communal leaders of Turkey, Egypt and Eretz Israel. 1 2 ABRAHAM JOSEPH MOSHE BEN JACOB OF HARMILOV. Chiddushim, Shailoth U’Teshuvoth [rabbinic novellea and responsa] Manuscript in Hebrew, written in a cursive Aschkenazic hand on paper. ff. 115. Variously stained and worn. Contemporary boards. Tall folio. Poland, 19th century. $2000-3000 ❧ Autograph(?) unpublished manuscript. Novellae with many important responsa of leading rabbinic figures of the early 19th century. The manuscript includes intellectual innovations to the Talmud (especially Tractate Eiruvin), as well as Halachic discussions with input from R. Yehoshua Heschel Babad of Tarnopol, R. Yaakov Lorbeerbaum of Lissa and R. Ephraim Zalman Margoliouth. Born in Podheitz, R. Avraham Yoseph Moshe Podhotzer (c. 1770-1836) served as Rabbi of Harmilov (Galicia) and was in regular correspondence with the leading rabbis of the day, including R. Yoseph Shaul Nathanson and R. Yaakov Orenstein. His only published work is Imrei Moshe (1866), which carried the approbation of R. Chaim Halberstam of Zanz who describes the author as a “Gadol Hador.” For a biographical outline of the author see Mandelbaum, Yeshurun, Vol. 17 (2006) pp. 736-et al. 3 (ABUHATZEIRA, YA’AKOV) Midrashim [sermons] Manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi-cursive Sephardic hand on paper. ff. 99. Paper brittle, torn in places with some loss. Modern boards. 8vo. Morocco , Late 19th century. $1000-1500 ❧ A collection of homilies by R. Ya’akov Abuhatzeira, transcribed here by the Rabbi’s senior disciple, Masoud ben Yihye Adahan. R. Ya’akov Abuhatzeira (1806-80) was the leading Moroccan Rabbi of the 19th century. Also referred to as the Abir Ya’akov he is the grandfather of the venerated Baba Sali. In 1879 R. Ya’akov Abuhatzeira embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While passing through Lot 2 the city of Damanhour in Egypt he became ill and passed away. He was buried there and his tomb has became a holy site for prayer to this day. 4 ADAHAN, MASOUD BEN YIHYE Lechem Oni [commentary to the Passover Hagadah] Autograph manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi- cursive Sephardic hand on paper. ff. 75. Lightly browned. Modern boards. 8vo. Morocco, 1875. $800-1200 ❧ Masoud Ibn Adahan was the foremost student of R. Ya’akov Abuhatzeira and responsible for transcribing many of his teacher’s works. Lot 4 Lot 3 2 Lot 5 Lot 6 5 ALGAZI, ISRAEL JACOB BEN YOM TOV Derashoth [homilies] 6 ASHER BEN YECHIEL. (RO”SH). Rabbeinu Asher [commentary Manuscript in Hebrew, written in a semi-cursive Sephardic hand on to Masechta Bava Kama] Manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi- paper. ff. (77). Corners frayed, light wear, leaves loose. Later calf, gutter cursive Sephardic hand on paper. ff. 30. Variously worn and stained, split. 8vo. torn with occasional loss, margins taped in places. Modern boards. Sm. folio. Jerusalem, c.1744. $3000-5000 Spain, c.1380. $3000-5000 ❧ UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT. Portions of ❧ AN EARLY SPANISH MANUSCRIPT OF A CLASSIC COMMENTARY TO this manuscript were published - inexactly - in She’erith THE TALMUD. Ya’akov (Constantinople 1745), however much of the work Written in two rows with large square headings, this still remains unpublished. The homilies here are often are manuscript comprises Tractate Bava Kama, from the middle of preceded by captions for whom they were said (Raphael the 7th chapter until the end of the tractate. Treves [9b], R. Shabthai Najara [17a], R. Chaim Abulaphia R. Asher ben Yechiel (c.1250-1327), a student of R. Meir [37b], etc). of Rothenburg, was forced to flee his native Germany, R. Yisrael Ya’akov Algazi (1680-1756) was born in Izmir eventually seeking asylum in Spain, where in 1305, he was and studied there under R. Chaim Abulafia and R. Yitzchak appointed Rabbi of Toledo. Thus, the Ro”sh, as he is referred Rapaport (author of Batei Kehunah). He moved to Jerusalem to in rabbinic literature, represents a unique phenomenon: in 1735 where he studied in the celebrated Yeshiva reserved for An Aschkenazic halachic authority who took up permanent Kabbalists, Beth El. Thereafter R. Algazi was appointed Rishon residence in Sepharad, with its very different halachic tradition. LeTzion, Chief Rabbi of the Sephardic community of Eretz What resulted was a fascinating synthesis of the Franco- Israel. He authored many books, among them Shalmei Tzibur, German and Spanish Schools. Shalmei Chagigah, Arah D’Rabbanan and Emeth LeYa’akov. He also anonymously published the controversial Chemdath Yamim, a collection of prayers and laws arranged according to the cycle of the Jewish year and noted for its eloquent literary style. See EJ, Vol. II, cols. 609-611. 3 7 ARVATZ, RAPHAEL BINYAMIN Amtachath Binyamin [encyclopedia of halachic concepts] Manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi-cursive Sephardic hand on paper. Two decorated title pages. ff. 259. Variously worn and stained, several leaves frayed, taped repairs with some marginal loss in places, Contemporary boards, Folio. Jerusalem, 1831. $3000-5000 ❧ Unpublished manuscript written and edited by the author’s son, R. Shmuel Yehuda Arvatz. An encyclopedia of halachic concepts prepared alphabetically, this volume contains the letters Aleph through Mem. The second and concluding volume, written by the same scribe in 1834, is presently found in the Benayahu Collection, Jerusalem (no. G23). 8 ASCHKENAZI, BENJAMIN Mate Binyamin / Imrei Binah [commentary to the 613 precepts] Manuscript in Hebrew, written in a cursive Aschkenazic hand on paper. ff. 250. Light wear. Contemporary roan over thick wooden boards, rubbed. Lg. folio. Germany?, 18th century. $2000-3000 ❧ UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT of an extensive and elaborate commentary on the Taryag Mitzvoth, interspersed with kabbalistic comments. The author is unknown although he cites well-known rabbinic figures as being his relatives, such as R. Yaakov Poppers and the Maharal of Prague (see p. 192a and p. 203b). 9 AZULAI, CHAIM JOSEPH DAVID (CHYD”A). Leket HaKemach [Halachic indices]. Manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi-cursive Sephardic script on paper. * Accompanied by description of manuscript contents prepared by Dr. Shlomo Zucker, Jerusalem. ff. 17 (written on recto only, few lines per page only). Wormed affecting text in places, taped repairs along inner margin. Modern vellum-backed boards. 12mo. Lot 7 $5000-7000 ❧ UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT BY THE CHID”A. A notebook containing Halachic sources, divided into sections and alphabetically arranged. One of the greatest Rabbinic authorities of his day, R. Chaim Joseph David Azulai (1724-1806), known by the acronym Chid”a, spent most of his life as a shada”r (shelucha derabbanan), emissary and fundraiser on behalf of the Jewish community of Eretz Israel.