Ein Yisrael and Beit Yisrael (Ein Yaakov) – Both Parts,...

Ein Yisrael and Beit Yisrael (Ein Yaakov) – Both Parts, With Beit Lechem Yehudah – Venice, 1625

Ein Yaakov – Part I, Ein Yisrael (including Beit Lechem Yehudah), and Part II, Beit Yisrael, by R. Yaakov ibn Habib. Venice: Pietro, Aluise and Lorenzo Bragadini at press of Giovanni Calleoni, 1625. Three books in one volume.
At end of Part I, 26 leaves with divisional title page: Beit Lechem Yehudah, index to Ein Yisrael by R. Yehudah Aryeh of Modena. Venice: Pietro, Aluise and Lorenzo Bragadini at press of Giovanni Calleoni, 1625. First edition.

Ein Yaakov is an anthology of the aggadot in the Talmud with selected commentaries by rishonim, authored by R. Yaakov ibn Habib, with Part II completed and printed by his son R. Levi ibn Habib. Copies of Ein Yaakov were burned along with the Talmud in Italy (1553-1554); The authorities eventually allowed Jews to print the book again, albeit with the name changed to Ein Yisrael and Beit Yisrael.
Ownership inscriptions on title page of Part I. Signature on front endpaper.
On leaf [2], list of names of attendants of lectures.

Part I: 4, 195, 26 leaves. Part II: 190 leaves. Overall fair condition. Many stains, including dark stains, dampstains and traces of former dampness with mold stains. Large open tears to title page of Part I and small tears to title page of Part II, affecting illustrated title frames in Part I in many places (title page of Part I reinforced with paper, with replacement of part of frame by hand), and tears to several other leaves, slightly affecting text, repaired with paper. Old, worn binding, with spine torn and detached.

Provenance: Collection of Prof. Eliyahu Shmuel Hartom.