Aryeh Leib Charif. Sepher Em LaMasoroth.* Printed together with:Shneor Zalman ben Menachem Mendel [Mendelevich]. Sepher Zichron Yerusahalayim.

(ISRAEL, LAND OF).

Nissan ben Israel Bak & Grandson

Jerusalem

1876

FIRST EDITION. Two titles within typographic borders. The books are replete with woodcuts of traditional scenes from the Holy Land. This copy inscribed and signed by the author to Yechezkel Aaron Mathlon of Damascus on the front flyleaf.

Halevy, 266.

Printed by grandfather and grandson: The first work deals with Masoretic issues, i.e. the proper spelling of various words in the Pentateuch. The second work is a travel-guide to Eretz Israel and cities far beyond: Includes descriptions of Beirut, Damascus, Aleppo, Baghdad, Bombay, Alexandria, Izmir, Istanbul and London. Zalman Mendelevich was an emissary on behalf of Kollel Chabad of Hebron and Jerusalem. His travels took him to Baghdad and Bombay, where he benefited from the munificence of the legendary Sassoon family. See Ya’ari, Sheluchei Eretz Israel (1977), pp. 695-696; Halevy, The First Hebrew Books Printed in Jerusalem (1975), p. 113. Em LaMasoroth is graced by the approbations of many famous rabbis: the Rishon le-Zion, Abraham Ashkenazi; Elijah Mani and Shimon Menashe, respectively Sephardic and Chabad rabbis of Hebron; plus the venerable Chassidic Rabbi Aaron of Chernobyl and his three sons.