Complete Set of All Four Parts of Shulchan Aruch – First and Rare Edition of All Parts – Printed in the Lifetime of ...

Complete Set of All Four Parts of Shulchan Aruch – First and Rare Edition of All Parts – Printed in the Lifetime of the Author, Rabbi Yosef Karo – Venice, 1564-1565 – The Most Classic Code of Jewish Law

Shulchan Aruch, complete set of all four parts, Orach Chaim, Yoreh De'ah, Even HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat, by R. Yosef Karo. Venice: [Alvise Bragadin], 1564-1565. First edition of all four parts, printed in the author's lifetime. Four volumes.
This is the first and complete edition of all four parts of Shulchan Aruch – the most basic halachic work of all times, and the founding pillar of Jewish life.
Shulchan Aruch by R. Yosef Karo was accepted throughout the Jewish world as a basic work on halachic ruling. After completing the Beit Yosef on the Tur, R. Yosef Karo set out to author a more concise halachic work, containing only the conclusions reached in the Beit Yosef. Composed with great diligence over the course of three and a half years, the four parts were completed between Elul 1555 and Adar I 1558. Over the years, the Shulchan Aruch became the classic code of Jewish Law, and most subsequent halachic works were based on it. Immediately after its publication, the Shulchan Aruch rapidly became widespread, reaching Ashkenazi countries as well. R. Moshe Isserles, the Rema, hurried to compose HaMapah – glosses to the Shulchan Aruch noting where the rulings and customs of the Ashkenazim differ.
Four volumes. Vol. I (Orach Chaim): 136, [10] leaves. Vol. II (Yoreh De'ah): 131, [1] leaves. Leaves 45-48 (law of interest) bound out of sequence. Vol. III (Even HaEzer): 79 leaves. Vol. IV (Choshen Mishpat): 165, [1] leaves.
Vol. I: 23 cm. Condition varies, fair to good. Stains, including dampstains and minor wax stains (many dark stains to leaves 65-66). Worming to some leaves, affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Extensive worming to title page and five following leaves, with significant damage to text, including text and printer's device on title page, repaired with paper (with photocopy and handwritten text replacement). Large, marginal open tears to first 40 leaves, repaired with paper (professionally restored). Some censorship deletions on p. 118b.
Vol. II: 24 cm. Fair to good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Some leaves with many stains (dark marginal ink stains to leaf 112). Worming, mostly marginal, affecting text in some cases, repaired with paper. Tears. Large marginal open tears to first five leaves, and in several other places (including leaves 30-31, 38-39, and final leaf), repaired with paper.
Vol. III: 24.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, chiefly marginal, affecting text in several places (leaves 40-46; minor damage on other leaves), mostly repaired with paper. Minor tear to title page, without loss or damage to text. Censorship deletions on leaf 3.
Vol. IV: 24.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains; some leaves with many stains. Extensive worming, affecting text in some cases (including text of title page), mostly repaired with paper (worming mostly marginal). Tear to leaf 84, slightly affecting text, without loss. Marginal open tears to some leaves, repaired with paper. Censorship deletion on leaf 8.
Inscriptions and signatures – Orach Chaim part – inscription at end of book dated 1626. Yoreh De'ah part – gloss in Sephardic script (trimmed); list of names and inscription in Ladino on final leaf. Choshen Mishpat part – ownership inscriptions on title page and following leaf; glosses in tiny Italian script at beginning of section 1 – copying of glosses of the Rema.
Fine, new uniform leather bindings.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.