Masechet Avot. Mantova, [1560]

Masechet Avot. Mantova, [1560]

With the Rambam's Commentary and a Special Version of Rashi's Commentary.

Masechet Avot, with the Rambam's commentary and his Shmonah Prakim. And with Rashi's commentary. The text of the Masechet is vowelized.

This work was printed in the Rome version of the Machzor [Mantova, 1557-1560] – hence the pagination – with minor typographic variations and with an addition of a title page (on the title page there, the date of printing is 1558). Therefore, on this title page, it was written "reprinted" since after the book was printed in the above Machzor in 1558, it was reprinted in itself in 1560.

Printed here is a special version of Rashi's commentary on Avot (the printers believed this was the first edition of Rashi's commentary). See: M.A.Z. Kinstlicher, Mavo Lepeirush Rashi Avot, in: Masechet Avot with Rashi's Commentary, Bnei Brak 1992, pp. 11-15.

At the beginning of the sixth chapter of Masechet Avot (leaf 85b): "The Rambam's commentary on this chapter was not found… and the commentary appearing in Machzorim on this chapter is by Rashi since it was as attributed to him by many old handwritten books …". The commentary printed here, which is attributed to Rashi, is very similar to the commentary that was printed in the Vitri Machzor, attributed to Rabbi Yaakov ben Rabbi Shimshon.

On leaf 82b, an illustration of the splitting of the Red Sea. On the last leaf, a handwritten foreign signature.

Mantova [Mantua], Yakomo Ruffinili Press, on the days of Purim [1560].

[2], 67-88 leaves. 30 cm. Good condition. Stains. Some moth burrows in the spine of the leaves – some restored. Quality paper. New, elegant leather binding.