Machzor Kimcha De’avishona. Bologna, 1540-1541.
First machzor printed with commentary
Both volumes, complete set
Machzor of prayers for the entire year according to Roman rite with an extensive commentary on the prayers and piyyutim called Kimcha De’avishona by Rabbi Yochanan Travis.
Machzor Bologna is one of the most important and elegant machzorim ever printed. Kimcha DeAvishona is the first printed commentary on the machzor.
The commentary to the machzor was published anonymously. The author of Kimcha De’avishona commentary on the machzor is ‘His honor our teacher and master Rabbi Yochanan Travis zt”l’. Page 2a of this copy features an inscription in old Italian penmanship:
Roman custom, also known as Italian custom, is the earliest known prayer text of the local Italian Jews whose main community in Rome was considered the first Jewish community in Europe. This version is very ancient and probably the first to travel beyond the borders of Israel and Babylon.
This machzor also contains the first printing of Rabbi Ovadia Sforno on Pirkay Avos. (Rabbi Ovadia was one of the Rabbis of Bologna, and his commentary was published during his lifetime.)
Bologna, 1540-1541. Vol. 1 [200] leaves. Vol. 2 [198] leaves. Page size: 31.5 cm. Illustrated title page for each volume. Beautiful printing with decorative frames and wide margins. Many professional restorations, especially of margins. Minor damage to text. Erasures due to censoring. Owners signatures in Italian. Both volumes bound together in half-leather binding from the 1980’s.
Stefansky Sifrei Yesod # 434.
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