HEBREW. PENTATEUCH, FIVE MEGILLOTH AND HAPHTAROTH). Chamishah Chumshei Torah

AUCTION 32 | Thursday, March 23rd, 2006 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Autographed Letters, Manuscripts, Graphics and Ceremonial Art

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Lot 64

(BIBLE

HEBREW. PENTATEUCH, FIVE MEGILLOTH AND HAPHTAROTH). Chamishah Chumshei Torah

Engraved frontispiece depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac. On title, and again on f.159r., signatures of “Israel Gedaliah Cases, Rabbino” and another unidentified “Rabbino.” -- In the first instance, attesting that this volume can be regarded a valid Torah by which to swear in witnesses; in the second, indicating that the Oath should be administered with the Bible open to the passage in Leviticus 26: 14-15, known as the “Tochachah,” which warns of dire chastisements for deviating from the Law (thus, a lesson on honesty) ff. (4), 248 (lacking ff. 177-84, duplicates of ff. 185-92), 124. Slightly browned. Contemporary vellum. 4to Vinograd, Mantua 545

Mantua: Eliezer Solomon d’Italia 1785

Est: $4,000 - $5,000

Court-Room Hebrew Bible. Signed by the Chief Rabbi of Mantua, Israel Gedaliah Cases (d. 1793), and a second, as yet unidentified rabbi, noting that this volume is to be used by the Judicial-courts of Mantua to administer the Oath to Jewish witnesses, and specifying which page to turn to when administering the Oath. See S. Simonsohn, History of the Jews in the Duchy of Mantua (1977), pp. 699-700. For another, similar Court-Room Bible from Mantua sold at auction, see Kestenbaum & Company, Sale XXI, 4th December, 2003, Lot 53