Babylonian Talmud, Venice: Daniel Bomberg Tractate Menahot Printed on Blue Paper, 1522 Tractate Arakhin Printed on Blue Paper, 1522 Tractate Bekhorot Printed on Blue Paper, 1522 Tractate Temurah Printed on Blue Paper, 1522

Four parts in one volume, folio (14¼ x 9½ in.; 362 x 242 mm). collation 1-13^{8, 146=110 leaves; 1-48, 53=35 leaves; 1-88, 96=70 leaves; 1-38, 410=34 leaves; lacking first title, ff.2-5 mended in fore-margin with some loss, some marginal dampstains and light marginal worming in a few quires. Seventeenth-century blind-tooled calf, decorated in a panel design; worn, covers detached.}

Moses Gaster (stamped signature on second leaf of  first tractate and on verso of title page in the three subsequent tractates); Abraham ben Eliezer Iscandari (ca. 1565 –1650)--see notes of Mordecai Märkel ben Jehiel Luria (1640)

Vinograd, Venice 59, 63, 55, 65; Habermann 53, 58, 57, 54

Four parts in one volume, folio (14¼ x 9½ in.; 362 x 242 mm). collation 1-138, 146=110 leaves; 1-48, 53=35 leaves; 1-88, 96=70 leaves; 1-38, 410=34 leaves; lacking first title, ff.2-5 mended in fore-margin with some loss, some marginal dampstains and light marginal worming in a few quires. Seventeenth-century blind-tooled calf, decorated in a panel design; worn, covers detached.
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.

This volume comprises four of the eleven tractates that make up the order Kodashim:

Menahot (meal-offerings), is the second tractate in the order Kodashim and as indicated by its name, deals with the issues surrounding the various meal-offerings in the Temple. These include the ingredients of the meal-offering (flour, oil, wine, etc.) and the manner in which they were processed and prepared, including valuable information on the liquid and dry measures used in the Temple. The two leaf index present in the JNUL copy is wanting here.

Arakhin (valuations), fifth tractate of the order Kodashim. discusses the valuation of various objects—persons, houses, fields of possession (i.e., inherited fields, bought fields), and devoted things—which have been dedicated to the sanctuary. 

Bekhorot (firstborn), fourth tractate in the order Kodashim, deals in nine chapters, with the laws relating to the firstborn, both of humans and animals. Since the biblical regulations distinguish between three kinds of firstborn—those of unclean animals, those of clean animals, and the firstborn of man—the tractate follows suit accordingly. The question of redemption of the human firstborn (pidyon ha-ben), is followed by a discussion of the privileges of the firstborn with regard to inheritance.

Temurah (exchange) is the sixth tractate in the order Kodashim. In seven chapters (the Tosefta has four), it deals with the regulations concerning the exchange of an animal consecrated for sacrifice and with associated problems (based on Lev. 27:9–10).

A fascinating series of inscriptions found at the end of three of these four tractates bears witness to the peregrinations of this volume from Venice in 1522 where it was printed as a special luxury copy on blue paper to Egypt over a century later. There it was studied by Mordecai Märkel ben Jehiel ha-Levi Luria, author of Mera Dakhya (a commentary on the Book of Esther, Lublin 1637) who, as a pilgrim to the Land of Israel in 1640 sojourned in Egypt long enough to borrow these volumes from the library of Abraham ben Eleazar Iscandari (1565?–1650) one of the greatest Egyptian rabbis and halakhists.  Abraham maintained a yeshivah in his home and possessed a large and valuable library, containing numerous manuscripts. Mordecai extolled the virtues of his benefactor by writing his blessing at the end of each tractate.