Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Horayot Printed on Blue Paper, Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1521

Folio (12¾ x 8¾ in.; 324 x 222 mm). collation: 1^{8, 26, 34=18 leaves; stain in upper margin of first quire, a few mends in fore-margins. Half buckram.}

Moses Gaster—his signature stamped on verso of title page

Vinograd, Venice 41; Habermann 42

Folio (12¾ x 8¾ in.; 324 x 222 mm). collation: 18, 26, 34=18 leaves; stain in upper margin of first quire, a few mends in fore-margins. Half buckram.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Horayot (Rulings), is a rather short tractate in three chapters, attached to the order of Nezikin, whose scriptural basis may be found in Leviticus ch. 4 and Numbers ch. 15. Those biblical sections deal with "sinning through error," and the Talmud extrapolates to discuss erroneous rulings by the high priest or the high court (Sanhedrin), leading to the inadvertent violation of precepts, which, if willfully transgressed, would have been deserving of karet. The Gemara of the Jerusalem Talmud to Horayot was appended to the Babylonian tractate by Bomberg because he found no tosafot to this tractate and the Jerusalem Gemara took its place on the page. For centuries, Bomberg's edition represented the authoritative version of this tractate.