The Tractates of the Talmud of Sir Moses Montefiore – an Impressive Set

The Tractates of the Talmud of Sir Moses Montefiore – an Impressive Set
An impressive set of the tractates of the Babylonian Talmud, with the commentaries of Rashi, the Rosh and Maimonides' commentary on the Mishnayot. With an additional volume of Chidushei maharsha and Maharshal. Amsterdam, the printing press of Yosef and Ya'akov the sons of Shlomo Proops. 1762-1765. 13 volumes. Size of each volume: 41cm.
Before us is the set of the Babylonian Talmud of Sir Moses Montefiore, who supported and strengthened the tremendous enterprise of the settlement of the Land of Israel; the most admired national figure due to his actions for the Jewish nation.
On several of the tractates there is an impressive, decorated Ex Libris of Moses Montefiore, with the family's emblem on which the inscription "Jerusalem" appears.
Only single items have remained from Sir Moses Montefiore. Before us is the most significant of them: the Babylonian Talmud - from which Montefiore's activity for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel had derived. Overjoyed will be the person who adds this impressive set to his library! 
Sir Moses Montefiore lived more than a hundred years, devoting his life to the benefit of the Jewish nation. He became world renown due to the large sums of money he donated to promote Jewish communities all over the world: in Europe, Asia and Africa and especially in the Land of Israel. The existence of the renewing Yishuv of the Land of Israel could not be imagined without Montefiore's support.
In many houses of the Yishuv, Montefiore's picture hung beside the pictures of the Vilna Gaon, Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor of Kovna and more. Actually, there was almost no Jewish house around the world – from Russia to Morocco, for Austria and Romania to Egypt, Syria and the Land of Israel – which the patriarchal picture of the old philanthropist with his black skullcap did not hang in. The Jews around the world admired him, told legends about him and wrote songs in his honor. For thousands of Jews around the world, his name was a symbol of courage, generosity, mercy, charity and salvation.
His activity for the Jewish nation
Montefiore's name became known in 1840 when as the president of the council of Jewish communities of England he came to aid of the Jews of Damascus after the Damascus Affair. He succeeded in gaining the acquittal of the accused and moreover, obtained an official document by the Turkish Sultan, promising to protect the Jews.
During those years, Montefiore visited Vilnius, Kovna, Warsaw and other European cities in order to try mitigating the anti-Jewish decrees. These visits caused great enthusiasm among the Jews and many children that were born during those days of his visit were called "Moses" after him. In Jewish synagogues in England, a special prayer was said for the success of his visit in Russia.
During the years 1835-1874 he headed the Jewish Board of Deputies – the most important Jewish organization in England. Queen Victoria awarded him a knighthood. His wealth, pedigree, position and impressive appearance opened doors wherever he went and he succeeded in taking advantage of this to help the Jews around the world. Montefiore was received by the rulers of Russia, Morocco and Germany and helped the persecuted Jews,
Supporter of the Yishuv in the Land of Israel
A special, maybe even the most significant, chapter in Montefiore's life is his tremendous support of Jews of the Land of Israel and the settlement of the country. Beside the money he donated to the institutions of the Old Yishuv, he donated large sums of money to productive enterprises of the new Yishuv. In his memoires, Montefiore wrote: "I pray to God that my journey to the Land of Israel will benefit our brother the sons of Israel, not only those who live now on the holy land, but also those who will want to settle it in the future".
Montefiore visited the Land of Israel seven times. The people of the Land of Israel were sick and poor and Montefiore's visits greatly contributed to the existence of the communities of the four holy cities: Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberius and Hebron. He donated large sums of money to help develop the Yishuv and encouraged productive work and agriculture. He also supported the new neighborhood outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Love of Torah and Mitzvot
Montefiore's love of the Torah, his piousness and enthusiastic observance of the Mitzvot were a rare phenomenon among the Jewish philanthropist of Europe. In a conference of the representatives of the Jewish communities of England he stated that he would not give up even the pettiest Jewish custom for achieving equality for the Jews of England.
In all his journeys he used to take his Shochet and cook with him so as not to eat any non-Kosher food.
Montefiore respected and admired Jewish rabbis and Rebbes and he insisted on meeting with them wherever he went. Thus he met with Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, Rabbi Itzeleh of Volozhin and many more.
In 1867 he established a Beit Midrash in Ramsgate titling it "Ohel Moshe Ve'Yehudit" and supporting the Avrechim who studied there.
"Montefiore was a biblical scholar who studied the Talmud with the Tosfot and commentators", indicated one of his contemporaries in a newspaper article. In the year before his 100th birthday, the Jews of Jerusalem studied the Talmud and on his birthday, celebrated the "Siyum Ha'Shas" in the presence of Rabbi Sh,uel Salant, the rabbi of Jerusalem.
Description of the tractates
The volumes contain the following tractates: Berachot, Zera'im, Eruvin, Pesachim, Beitza, Chagiga, Mo'ed Katan, Rosh Ha'Shana, Yoma, Sukkah, Ta'anit, Shekalim, Megilah, Yevamot, Ketubot, Kiddushin, Gittin, Nedarim, Nazir, Sotah, Baba Kama, Baba Metziah, Baba Batra, Avodah Zara, Sanhedrin, Shvu'ot, Makot, Horayot, Eduyot, Zevachim, Menachot, Bechorot, Chulin, Arachin, Temurah, Kritut, Me'ilah, Nidah, Taharot and a volume of Chidushei Ha'Maharsha and Chochmat Shlomo by the Maharshal.
A full description of the tractates, years of printing and number of pages will be given upon request.
At the beginning of the first section, a general copper-etched title page was printed with an illustrated logo of the printer Proops. The first title page of each volume is partially in red ink.
On the last leaf of the Talmud, at the end of Seder Taharot, an essay by the three brothers-printers was printed, in which they describe the difficulties of printing the Talmud.
This edition of the Amsterdam edition is known as an especially impressive edition. The tractates were printed on thick, high-quality paper with wide margins. For this reason, Montefiore purchased this edition of the Babylonian Talmud for his private library.
To the best of our knowledge, there is no other complete set of this edition of the Talmud that had survived, certainly not in such a good condition as the volumes before us, with their original, impressive wooden bindings.
The history of the set
Nine of the thirteen volumes before us have the same impressive binding. On volumes 1, 2, 4 and 10, the aforementioned Ex Libris is glued.
On the Ex Libris, the name of their owner, Rav L.H. Myers, is written in pen. He was the one who owned the books after Montefiore. In most of the volumes there is also a dedication by the Shevtzik family, of the estate of Rabbi Binyamin Zvi Shevtzik, to the Etz Chaim Yeshiva of London, 1915, in Hebrew and English. On some of the volumes there is a stamp of Jews' College.
It is most likely that almost all the volumes before us had been in the original set of Montefiore, which was then purchased by Rav L.H. Myers and then by the Rabbi Shevtzik. After his death, the set was most likely divided between the Etz Chaim Yeshiva of London and Jews' College. With time, some of the bindings were changed and the protective papers with Montefiore's original Ex Libris were taken off.
To conclude, four tractates had certainly been in Montefiore's private library.
According to the ownership signs and types of bindings, it is almost certain that five additional tractates had also been in his library (only the Ex Libris had been removed over time).
We assume that the three remaining tractates had also been part of the original set.
Condition: The set was wonderfully preserved due to the quality of the paper and printing. The bindings are in excellent condition. The margins of single leaves have been damage due to use. On several of the volumes there are Hebrew and English inscriptions. The bindings have been artistically restored and include nice buckles.