Yalkut Shimoni – Neviim and Ketuvim – First Edition – Salonika, 1521

Yalkut Shimoni – Neviim and Ketuvim – First Edition – Salonika, 1521

Yalkut Shimoni, anthology of teachings of the sages, by R. Shimon HaDarshan, Part II, on Neviim and Ketuvim. [Salonika: Don Judah Gedalia, 1521]. First edition.
Part II, on Neviim and Ketuvim, was published before Part I, on the Torah (Salonika 1526-1527).
Issued without a title page.
This is the first edition of Yalkut Shimoni. The text is interspersed with numbers in Hebrew letters (known as Remazim – hints). These letters were not understood by the publishers of subsequent editions of the book, and errors occurred in their placement and order, until their true meaning was deciphered by R. Ch.Z. Finkel, who explained that the letters mark passages referred to in other places in the Yalkut (see: R. Ch.Z. Finkel, Yalkut Shimoni UFesher Remazav, Moriah, year 7, 1978, pp. 86-87). As mentioned, the hints only appear in their correct order and placement in the present, first edition.
Many glosses in Italian script. Signature on first leaf: "Eliezer Artom".

138 [i.e. 140]; 63, [2], 64-66; 139 [i.e. 141]-236 leaves. Leaves 63, [2], 64-66 of commentary on Tehillim, bound between leaves 140-141 of Trei Asar. 28.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including many dampstains. Traces of past dampness with mold to some 10 leaves. Tears, including tears with minor damage to text (mostly without loss), and marginal open tears to several leaves, repaired with paper. Large open tears to final leaf, affecting text, repaired with paper (leaf restored and mounted on paper for reinforcement). Minor worming. Marginal paper repairs to several leaves (a few leaves presumably supplied from a different copy). Censorship deletions. New leather binding.