Beschreibung:

Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim translated to Yiddish by Jekutiel son of Isaac Blitz, with Toaliyot HaRalbag by R. Levi son of Gershon (Ralbag) on Torah and Neviim Rishonim. Amsterdam: Uri Phoebus HaLevi, [1676-1679]. Five separate title pages: Torah, Megillot, Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Achronim and Ketuvim, with an additional illustrated title page. Approbations of the rabbis of the Council of Four Lands, and the Sephardi and Ashkenazi rabbis of Amsterdam. The book begins with leaves of "approbation and privilegium" - special permission granted by the King of Poland for this printing, in Yiddish and in Latin. The title page bears deleted ownership inscriptions: "---[son of] Yaakov Mazye". [7], 63, [1], 64-138, 140-256, [2], 18 leaves. Pagination skips leaf 139 (no missing leaf). Includes table of Haftarot and "Corrector's apology" which do not appear in other copies. Illustrated title page detached (apparently replaced from another copy). 32 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming. Two leaves in the middle detached. Small tears and damage, repaired with tape. New leather binding. Various dates appear on the title pages: 1676, 1678 and 1679. The approbations are dated 1671-1677. Two different editions of the Bible translated to Yiddish were printed concurrently in Amsterdam in those days, considered to be the first Yiddish Bible editions. For further information regarding the polemic surrounding this printing, see: A.M. Haberman, Chapters in the History of the Hebrew Printers, pp. 300-310. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Israel Mehlman.