Babylonian Talmud, First Edition, Tractates Mo'ed Katan, Megillah and Hagigah. Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1521

Estimate

30,000 - 40,000 USD

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Description

98 leaves (13 1/2 x 9 1/4 in.; 343 x 235 mm). Collation: Mo'ed Katan: 1-3^{8, 4^{6=30 leaves; Megillah: 1^{2-8, 2-4^{8, 5^{9= 40 leaves; Hagigah: 1^{2-8,2-3^{8,4^{5= 28 leaves. Soiled and stained, some tape repairs, scattered marginalia. Mo'ed Katan: title renewed not affecting text, ff. 2, 4 defective at gutter affecting some text; Talmud text complete on ff. 1-29; ff. 31-45 (back matter) lacking. Megillah and Hagigah each lacking title pages and final blanks. Some fore-edges with tape repairs. light worming. Sprinkled edges. Three quarter leather, worn; gilt stamping on spine.}}}}}}}}

Provenance

Samuel Alashkar: his purchase note on verso of final folio of Tractate Megillah.

Literature

Vinograd, Venice 46, 45, 42; Habermann 30, 35, 29.

Catalogue Note

The three Talmudic tractates bound together in this volume are all from Daniel Bomberg's first printed edition of the Babylonian Talmud (1519/20-1523); these tractates were printed as discrete volumes in 1521 as part of the Mishnaic order, Mo'ed, dealing with the celebration of festivals and related subjects.

Mo'ed Katan concerns itself primarily with the laws of the intermediary days of the pilgrimage festivals of Passover and Sukkot. In addition a nexus is established between these laws and the laws of mourning; it is within this context that the gemara discusses the customs surrounding details of burial and other mourning customs.

Tractate Megillah deals with liturgical readings from the Bible, especially with the reading, on Purim, of the Scroll of Esther (to which the word megillah particularly refers), as well as the correct manner of writing liturgical scrolls. The tractate also includes an extensive aggadic section which is practically a complete midrash to the Book of Esther. The second half of the tractate deals with the sanctity of the synagogue and its appurtenances, and a variety of other liturgical issues including public readings from the Pentateuch and haftarah.

Hagigah takes its name from the special sacrifice offered during each of the three pilgrimage festivals, Pesah, Sukkot and Shavu'ot. In addition to the regulations concerning sacrificial offerings it deals with the laws of ritual purity and impurity connected with sacred objects and the Temple.