Bidspirit auction | Minhagim. Amsterdam, 1662. With dozens

Minhagim. Amsterdam, 1662. With dozens of illustrations. A complete and attractive copy. Exceptionally rare. - Minhagim – a work describing the customs of Ashkenazic Jewry in Poland, Bohemia, and Moravia, together with numerous laws and annual observances, translated from Hebrew into Yiddish by Rabbi Shimon Levi Ginzburg. Printed in Amsterdam by Uri Vaybesh, 1662. A rare and highly desirable edition, adorned with dozens of woodcut illustrations. The book is arranged according to the cycle of Jewish time and life: Motza’ei Shabbat, weekdays, Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Kiddush Levanah, followed by the festivals and holy days of the year beginning with the month of Nissan. It also includes texts of blessings, Kiddush, Havdalah, and in the final leaves a calendar for the years 1662–1675. Throughout the volume appear dozens of large and striking woodcut illustrations vividly depicting Jewish daily life and religious observance more than 360 years ago. Among the scenes portrayed are: Havdalah, lighting Shabbat candles, Kiddush Levanah, the Shabbat HaGadol sermon, grinding flour for matzah, kashering utensils, cleaning for Passover, baking matzot, Lag BaOmer haircutting, the Giving of the Torah, recitation of lamentations on Tisha B’Av, blowing the shofar, the Shabbat Shuvah sermon, lighting Chanukah candles, Sukkot and the Four Species, Hoshana Rabbah, Simchat Torah, Tu BiShvat, the Four Special Parashiyot, Purim, circumcision, and funeral rites. In addition, twelve smaller illustrations were printed according to the months of the year and the zodiac signs. Books of customs in Yiddish were used constantly in daily life and were heavily worn over generations; accordingly, fine and complete copies are scarce. It is especially rare to find a perfect copy of this edition, with all illustrations present and the final leaves intact. The scanned copy in the National Library of Israel is slightly defective, and to the best of our research the book survives in only a small number of public libraries worldwide. To the best of our knowledge, a complete copy of this work has never appeared at public auction. Fuks, L. and Fuks-Mansfeld, R.G., Hebrew Typography in the Northern Netherlands (1585–1815), no. 296. Set leaves, [6] pages. Approx. 18 cm. Condition: Very good. Minor age staining. Attractive half-vellum binding.