Handwritten Leaves, Commentary of Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura - From the Author's Era

Three handwritten leaves, removed from a "bindings' geniza". Commentary on the Mishnah by R. Ovadiah of Bartenura. [15th/16th century].
Semi-cursive Sephardi script, with enlarged titles and opening words. The writing and watermark on the paper indicate that the leaves originate in the lifetime of the author, R. Ovadiah of Bartenura (end of 15th century or beginning of 16th century).
The leaves contain a commentary on Tractate Eruvin, from Chapter 10, middle of Mishnah 9 until the end of the tractate, and on Tractate Pesachim, from the beginning until Chapter 1 middle of Mishnah 5. The text of the Mishnah was added to the margins in another handwriting.
At the end of Tractate Eruvin the scribe added a colophon in rhyme.
R. Ovadiah of Bartenura (born c. 1450, died c. 1520) is the leading commentator of the Mishnah and a prominent Torah scholar in his era. Born in Bartenura (Bertinoro), Italy, he was the disciple of the Maharik. In 1388, he ascended to Jerusalem and was appointed Rabbi of the city. In his lifetime, he was already acclaimed as an eminent Torah scholar as the Radvaz wrote: "This man was famed for his wisdom and is the head of all Jerusalem rabbis", "All the sages of France and Spain and Ashkenaz who live in Jerusalem would deferentially sit before him" (Radvaz responsa Part 4, Siman 1180 [108]). R. Ovadiah of Bartenura wrote several compositions, but his masterpiece is his famous commentary on the Mishnah which (similarly to the Rashi commentary on the Talmud) became the most basic and frequently studied commentary on the Mishnah and has been printed in thousands of editions of the Mishnah from his days until our times.
[3] leaves, approximately 30 cm. Fair condition. These leaves are almost whole. Dark stains. Tears, affecting text, with various levels of damage sustained by the binding process. The leaves were professionally repaired.