Bidspirit auction | Rif – Seder Nashim. Constantinople,

Rif – Seder Nashim. Constantinople, 1509. Post-incunabula - Halachic rulings of Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi (the Rif), with commentaries by early authorities – the Ran or Nimukei Yosef – and with the rulings of the Mordechai appended at the end of each tractate. Printed in Constantinople by the brothers David and Shmuel ben Nehemias, 1509 [Reshet]. First edition of both the Rif and the Mordechai, in the format that became standard and is studied to this day. This edition marks a milestone in the history of printed halachic literature following the incunabula period. It established the textual and typographical model for later editions of the Rif and introduced the inclusion of the Mordechai’s rulings at the close of each tractate. Over time, the text of the Mordechai underwent additions and variations, making this early edition of particular significance for scholars of halachic printing. See: R.N.N. Rabinowitz, Essay on the Printing of the Talmud, Jerusalem 1952, pp. Rano–Ranez; Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 139. Detailed contents of the present copy: Tractate Ketubot – [64] leaves, with Mordechai. Tractate Kiddushin – [36] leaves, with Mordechai, lacking a few lines at the end of the Mordechai. Size: approx. 37 cm. Overall condition: Good. Detailed condition: Tractate Ketubot – good to very good condition; age stains; small paper reinforcements along the inner white margins. Tractate Kiddushin – good condition; light age stains; minor tears and paper repairs along the margins, no loss of text. Simple contemporary binding.