A Large Collection of Books and Printed Items – First Books Printed in the Hebrew Printing Houses in Jerusalem

A Large Collection of Books and Printed Items – First Books Printed in the Hebrew Printing Houses in Jerusalem
A large collection of approximately 190 books, booklets and proclamations, printed in the first Jerusalem printing houses during 1841-1890. Some books are rare, amongst them the first Hebrew book printed in Jerusalem. The collection includes dozens of books printed in Rabbi Israel Bak's printing house, some unknown books, many books from other printing houses which operated in Jerusalem in 1863-1890 (Solomon, Rottenberg, Gaszinne, Gagin, Lilienthal, Zuckerman, etc.).
The books which were all printed in Jerusalem are very diverse in their types and their content and include Torah compositions from all Jewish ethnic communities: prayer books and commentaries on the Bible, the Zohar and kabbalah, segula books, responsa and Talmudic novellae, Halacha and commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch and the Rambam, Chassidic and musar books, compositions by the Vilna Gaon and his disciples, books of Sephardi, Yemenite and Maghreb (North-African) rabbis, Ladino books, newspapers and Torah compilations, various polemic compositions, letters requesting donations for individuals and for public institutes, etc.
Below is a short sample of the items in this collection (a detailed list will be sent upon request):
• Avodat HaKodesh by the Chida. The 1841 edition – The first Hebrew book printed in Jerusalem, and the 1844 and 1847 editions.
• Chukat HaPesach Passover haggada. Jerusalem, 1843 – The first haggada printed in Jerusalem, and other Passover haggadot (Bizat Mitzrayim, etc.).
• Bat Ayin, by Rebbe Avraham Dov of Ovruch and Safed. Jerusalem, 1847. First edition. Stefansky Chassidut no. 103.
• Be'er Sheva by Rebbe Moshe David Ashkenazi of Tolcsva and Safed [grandfather of the Satmar and Klausenburg rebbes]. Jerusalem, 1853. First edition (copy without title page and approbations). Stefansky Chassidut no. 75.
• Machzor Mo'adei Hashema and Kri'ei Mo'ed. Jerusalem, 1844. Two copies with variations (in one, meant for export to the British Empire countries, the HaNoten Teshu'a prayer is printed with a special blessing for the Queen of England).
• Chibat Yerushalayim. Jerusalem, 1844. With an additional leaf with the approbation of Rabbi Aharon Moshe Migeza Zvi of Brod. S. HaLevi no. 23, lists only [2], 60 leaves whereas this copy has [3], 60 leaves.
• The Zohar and Tikunei Zohar printed in 1844-1846; many kabbalistic books, and the book Idra Raba, printed in a miniature edition by Rabbi Yoel Moshe Salomon, in 1885.
• Books by Rabbi Yehosef Shwartz - Tevu’at Ha’Aretz and Divrei Yosef, printed in 1843, 1845, 1861 and 1862. In the first book is a handwritten dedication, by “the author” to Rabbi Gedalya Tiktin Av Beit Din of Breslau.
• Ya’alzu Chassidim, prayers. Jerusalem, 1885. Printed by R’ Yitzchak ben R’ Zvi [Gaszinne] of Warsaw. Bound at the end is a bibliographically unknown composition: “For the Ten Days of Repentance”, the Avinu Malkeinu prayer. [1885?]. “Printed in the printing house of R’ Y. Gashtzinani”. 2 leaves.
• Illustrated Mizrah sheets, some not listed by Shoshana HaLevy.
• Two books with the word “Jerusalem” forged on the title page: Chibat Yerushalayim, [Konigsberg, c. 1858]. Sha’ar HaShamayim, [Lemberg, c. 1870].
Approximately 190 items. Varied size and condition. Bound in various bindings, from various countries and times. Some have ancient ownership signatures and stamps. Printed dedication leaves and handwritten dedications.
The provenance of this collection is from a private collector who professionally collected the books throughout many years. Some of the books in this collection are different from the bibliographic lists that appear in Dr. HaLevy’s comprehensive studies. Some are not listed in any of her lists.