Bidspirit auction | Yiddish Bible – Printed by

Yiddish Bible – Printed by Yosef Athias – Amsterdam, 1679 – Rare First Edition, Unavailable to Modern Bibliographers - Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim, Yiddish translation, based on the commentators: Targum Yonatan, Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, R. Saadiah Gaon, Ralbag and others. Amsterdam: Yosef Athias, [1679]. The present book is an especially rare copy of the first printing of the Yiddish translation published by Yosef Athias and completed in 1679. While this edition is recorded by early bibliographers (Steinschneider, Habermann and others), over the course of the 20th century it was considered lost, and certain scholars even doubted its existence. These bibliographic records were based on early 18th century sources, which attest to a 1679 first edition. However, no hard copy of this edition was available to scholars until recently. Only in recent years was a copy discovered in the private collection of Prof. Chimen Abramsky in London. As a result, the known 1687 copies were identified as leftovers from the 1679 printing, with the title page and introductions replaced, rather than a second edition. In the present copy (evidently the copy formerly owned by Prof. Abramsky), the original title page displays the printer as Yosef Athias and a chronogram for 1679. R. Yosef Athias had evidently already begun printing the present book in 1676, as attested by the royal privilege on the verso of the title page. The book begins with an approbation by the rabbis of the Vaad Arba Aratzot, dated 1677 and 1678. The present edition was translated into Yiddish by R. Yosef son of Alexander Wizenhausen, and proofread by R. Meir Stern, rabbi of the Ashkenazic community of Amsterdam, and by R. Shabtai Bass, author of Siftei Chachamim. Another Yiddish translation by R. Yekutiel Blitz was printed concurrently by Uri Phoebus HaLevi (see previous lot), resulting in mutual accusations of unlawful competition. Both translations are regarded as the first complete Yiddish translations of the Bible. [4], 79; 150 leaves. Approx. 30 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, creases and wear. Tears and worming, slightly affecting margins of some leaves; margins of title page and last leaf reinforced with paper. Close trimming, bordering the text, affecting page headers and foliation, and printed marginal notes. Early binding, with slight wear and defects, with leather spine and corners, and laces (one lace lacking). Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.