(ISRAEL, LAND OF)

SCHWARZ, JOSEPH. Divrei Yoseph: Part I: Toldoth Yoseph [Astronomy and Chrononomy]. With astronomical diagrams and tables. On opening blank, inscription: “Ha-Katan Schwarz, Israel” (the author's son?). On ff. 63r. and 4r. marginalia in the author's hand. In the latter marginalium, Schwarz reports that in 1851 he had occasion to examine Maimonides’ manuscripts in Oxford, which confirmed his own proposed reading of a passage in Hil. Neziruth. ff. (8), 70, (6). Crisp, clean copy. [Halevy 17]. Jerusalem: Israel Bak, 1843. * Part II: Tevu'oth ha-Aretz [Geography, Fauna and Flora of the Land]. Two divisional titles. ff. (2), 156, 52, (3). Very light stains, otherwise, crisp, clean copy. [Halevy 31]. (Jerusalem: [Israel Bak], 1845). * Part III, Geography and Commentary on Bible and Talmud. On f.7v., 3 maps of Jerusalem and environs. ff. (7), 247(1). [Halevy 58]. Jerusalem: Israel Bak, 1861. * Part IV, Responsa ff. (4), 170, (1). Light stains. For the most part, clean copy. [Halevy 62]. Jerusalem: Israel Bak, 1862.

COMPLETE SET OF WRITINGS OF RABBI JOSEPH SCHWARZ (1804-1865), FOREMOST AUTHORITY ON LAND OF ISRAEL. VOL. I WITH AUTHOR'S AUTOGRAPH NOTES Schwarz was one of those rare individuals capable of combining solid Talmudic grounding with a bent for science, whether it be astronomy, geography, geology, or botany. His monumental multivolume work, Divrei Yosef, continues to remain a highly relevant source for the study of the Land of Israel. According to Y. Ben-Arieh: “Schwartz’s work is significant in that it became the basis and model for all subsequent Hebrew writing on Palestine exploration taking Jewish sources into account.” See, The Rediscovery of the Holy Land in the Nineteenth Century (1979) p.104