The First Bible Printed in Yiddish – Amsterdm, 1676-1679 – Copy of Rabbi Shlomo Eiger with his Signatures, and with ...

The First Bible Printed in Yiddish – Amsterdm, 1676-1679 – Copy of Rabbi Shlomo Eiger with his Signatures, and with Ownership Inscription of his Wife

"Five Books of the Torah in Yiddish" – Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim (Tanach) in Yiddish, "translated and explained" by R. Yekutiel son of Yitzchak Blitz, with Toaliyot HaRalbag to Torah and Neviim Rishonim by R. Levi son of Gershon (Ralbag). Amsterdam: Uri Phoebus HaLevi, [1676-1679].
Five divisional title pages: for Torah, Megillot, Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim and Ketuvim, with an additional illustrated title page (copper engraving) at the beginning of the volume. Approbations of the rabbis of the Council of Four Lands, and the Sephardi and Ashkenazi rabbis of Amsterdam. The book begins with leaves of "approbation and privilegium" – special permission granted by the King of Poland for this printing, in Yiddish and in Latin (the two leaves are bound separately; the first leaf, in Yiddish, is bound after two title pages and the Hebrew introduction; while the second leaf in Latin is bound between the leaves of approbations).
Copy of R. Shlomo Eiger. Signature on the first title page (in square letters): "Shlomo Eiger", and signature on second title page (somewhat blurred): "Shlomo Eiger". On verso of the first title page is a handwritten inscription: "This book belongs to the woman Rivkah Golda, wife of R. Shlomo Eiger" (Rebbetzin Rivkah Golda, daughter of R. Yisrael Hirschsohn of Warsaw).
On the title pages are stamps with the letters "SE" [=Solomon Eger].
Inscriptions on front endpaper, including an inscription on a death in 1812 and a birth in 1895.

R. Shlomo Eiger (1785-1852), leading Torah scholar of his times, second son of R. Akiva Eiger (and brother-in-law of the Chatam Sofer). His illustrious father held him in high esteem, as he praises him in a letter to R. Yaakov Gesundheit: "Praise to G-d Who granted me a son of a cedar's stature" (Responsa and Novellae of R. Akiva Eiger, Jerusalem 1947, section 22). In ca. 1801, he married Rebbetzin Rivkah Golda, daughter of the wealthy Hirschsohn family of Warsaw, and settled there the year of their marriage. In his father-in-law's home, R. Shlomo continued applying himself to his Torah studies, and became one of the most prominent and wealthiest Torah scholars of Warsaw.

After he lost his fortune in the Polish revolution of 1831 (which he supported along with the Polish Torah leaders R. Chaim Davidson and R. Berish Meisels), he was appointed Rabbi of Kalisch. In 1840, he succeeded his father as Rabbi of Posen. He edited and published his father's responsa and novellae and included some of his own novellae. His writings were also published in Gilyon Maharsha on the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch; Responsa of R. Shlomo Eiger, two parts, published by Mosad HaRav Kook (Jerusalem, 1983-1985) and Sefer HaIkkarim, two parts (Jerusalem, 1991-1996).

[7], 63, [1], 64-75, 77-138, 140-256, [1]; 18, [1] leaves. Including leaf with "apology of the corrector" and haftarot chart, which does not appear in all copies. Approx. 31 cm. Fair condition. Many stains, including dampstains and dark stains. Wear. Tears, including open tears to title page and other leaves, affecting illustrated title frame and text, partially repaired with paper and tape (the illustrated title page was cut off and mounted on another leaf for reinforcement at an early stage, as the signature of R. Shlomo Eiger and the inscription on his wife appear on the reinforcement leaf). The book is severed into two at the spine. Stamps. Only has back binding, loose, with part of the spine (torn and partially detached).

Various dates appear on the title pages: 1676, 1678 and 1679. The approbations are dated 1671-1677. Two different editions of the Bible translated to Yiddish were printed concurrently in Amsterdam in those days, considered to be the first Yiddish editions of the Bible.
For further information regarding the controversy surrounding this printing, see: A.M. Habermann, Perakim BeToldot HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, pp. 300-310.