Bidspirit auction | Rare! Seder Zera'im of the

Rare! Seder Zera'im of the Talmud Published by Rabbeinu Yonasan Eibeschitz ”Having being Allowed to Print Talmud Books” - Prague, 1728 - ” Seder Zera'im, Mishnayot of Seder Zera'im, with the commentary of Rabbeinu Moshe Bar Maimon and a commentary by the Gaon Rabbinu Shimshon and with the addition of Masoret Hagemore... and we have printed at the end of the Seder all the chapters from Sefer Hayad Hachazakah by the Rambam which belong to Seder Zera'im with all his commentators, the Maggid Mishneh, Kesef Mishneh and Hagahot Maimoniyot.... p rinted here in the capital of Prague under the government of... the glorified Emperor Carlos...”. In the first two volumes, Berachot and Seder Zera'im, there are important additions unique to this edition: added toSeder Zera'im are Hilchot HaRambam belonging to Berachot and Zera'im (th eprinters wanted to add the Rambam to all tractates; but in reality, the Rambam was printed only in the first two volumes).  This edition was printed by the efforts of Rabbeinu Yonasan Eibeschitz , who in the years before these tractates were published served as Darshan of the Prague community. At the time, the Catholic authorities banned the Talmud, forbidding the printing of its volumes. The Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Avraham Broida and Rabbi Eliyahu Shapiro, the author of Eliyahu Rabba, appealed to the authorities, to no avail. Only when Rabbeinu Yonasan became involved did the authorities allow their re-publishing.  Rabbi Yonasan describes this in his introduction to his book Kreiti Ufleiti, Altona 1763: ” I would frequent the courts of the ministers and the scholarly Christian priests... to argue with them regarding our Torah . The ministers would mock me for various matters they found strange about us, but I acted as an advocate, bringing hidden truths to light and clarifying the words of the ancient sages until they were as clear as the dawn. Ultimately, my wisdom assisted me and I found such favor that they granted me permission to print the volumes of the Talmud, something that had not been permitted for ages ”. The pritning license was given provided that the Shas go through an extensive examination as implied by the note on the margins of the title pages. Indeed, this edition was especially dominated by the censor, which greatly affected its version, so much so that even the tractates are note titled 'Masechet' but rather 'Halachot'.  Printed by the grandsons of Rabbi Yehuda Bak Mechokek in 1728. 86, [53], [72] (originally, there were 77 leaves; the 5 last leaves are missing from this copy) leaves. The volume contains Seder Zera'im (86 leaves), Rambam on Hilchot Keri'at Shema, Tefillah and Nessi'at Kapayim and Hilchot Berachot of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah, Sefer Ahava. With Hasagot HaRavad and the Rambam's commentators (53 leaves). Also, Mishneh Torah Sefer Zer'aim without Hilchot Shemitah and Yovel (originally, 77 leaves; here, the 5 last leaves are missing). Aging stains and some tears along the edges of the leaves. Some moth perforations. Taping to the last leaves slightly affecting the text. Old binding, slightly detached. Good overall condition.  About this edition and especially the many omissions in Masechet Berachot, see Rabbi N.N. Rabinovich, Mamar al Hadpasat Hatalmud, Jerusalem 1952, pp. 112-115 and in the supplement by A.M Haberman, ibid. pp. 228-230. About the unique problem of printing this edition of the Shas in Prague and the Jewish objection to its printing due to the censor's involvement, see Rabinovich, ibid. and Y. Yudlov, Mavo, in Rabbi Yonasan Eibeschitz, Sefer Ya'arot Devash, Jerusalem 1988, pp. 19-21 and the book Misoncino VeAd Vilna, chapter 4.