The library of the Trenčín Museum boasts a rich collection of rare historical prints. The Babylonian Talmud from the end of the 18th century is also part of its collection. However, the book was no longer in good condition. Therefore it was included among the four works that underwent several months of professional restoration.
The Talmud is the most important religious text and fundamental work of Judaism. It is the most important set of Jewish law and traditions. "It is a monumental work that for many centuries captured the discussions of rabbis," said the librarian of the Trenčín Museum, Alica Krištofová. However, publishing the Talmud in the 18th century was not easy for the printers - on the one hand for censorship, as it was one of the most persecuted books in history. Another obstacle was the various prohibitions and restrictions that affected the Jewish community. "That's why the printers resorted to issuing the Talmud on individual treatises. Ours was also issued in this way, containing three treatises, "added Krištofová.
The museum's library collection also includes a collection of Judaica, as there was a large and well-organized Jewish community in Trenčín. Some of the works probably come from its individual members. "Most of them are Jewish religious books called machzors, which were published for individual Jewish holidays," Alica Krištofová explained. They also have two Talmudas in their collection. One of them underwent a professional restoration some time ago, as the book already had a damaged cover and binding. The work dates back to the end of the 18th century, when it was published by the very important imperial-royal court bookbinder Jozef Hrašanský, who was a native of Orava. It is not clear when and where the second Talmud, which is owned by the Trenčín Museum, was issued. "The book is badly damaged, it shows signs of fire burns, so we can't determine when it was printed. But I suppose it could be the beginning of the 18th century, "thinks the librarian Alica Krištofová.
In addition to the Babylonian Talmud, three other rare works have been restored - the Catholic Peninsula, one of the rarest prints of the 16th century, a historical and geographical work by the Dutch writer and physician Olfert Dapper (1636-1689) describing the history of southern southern Greece, and the Roman Missal, the best known and most widely used liturgical book of the Catholic Church. The restored works are currently available for professional research in the library of the Trenčín Museum.