<p><span style="color:#9C0000"><strong>LEVI BEN GERSHOM / RaLBa’G, </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#9C0000"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="color:#9C0000"><strong>(Gersonides).</strong></span> Peirush al HaTorah [commentary to the Chumash].</p>
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<p>(Mantua or Ferrara?) Abraham ben Solomon Conat with Yedidyah Ha’Ezrachi of Cologne, (1474-76).</p>
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<p><span style="color:#9C0000"><strong>FIRST EDITION.</strong></span> Printed in double columns in an Italian semi-cursive typeface. Occasional marginal notations.</p>
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<p>ff. 389 (of 409 - bibliographers dispute precise collation, ranging from ff. 408 (Habermann) to ff. 412 (Vinograd)). This copy lacks ff. 1-7 and the final thirteen leaves (the final leaf with text is f. 409 and ff. 410-412 are blanks). Missing leaves provided here in facsimile. Upper corners of first 24 leaves slightly repaired with a few words in facsimile, slight repair on lower inside corner of f. 389 affecting a few words. Dampstained along margins. Modern finely tooled calf with metal clasps. Thick folio. </p>
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<p><b>References:</b></p>
<p>Vinograd, Mantua 6; Goff 69; Goldstein 17; Offenberg 50; Steinschneider, p. 1611, no. 6138, 3; Thes. A10; Habermann, Perakim BeToldoth HaMadpisim HaIvri’im (1978) p. 7, no. 6; Wineman Cat. 11.</p>
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<p><span style="color:#9C0000"><strong>AN ATTRACTIVE, WIDE MARGINED COPY OF GERSONIDES’ COMMENTARY TO THE PENTATEUCH.</strong></span></p>
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<p>The Ralba’g represents the Rationalist School within medieval Bible exegesis: He provides important contributions in such diverse fields as philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. </p>
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<p>In this voluminous commentary, the author initially examines the literal meaning of the text before expounding upon philosophical and moral maxims. A specialty of the commentary are the “To’eleth” or moral lessons to be derived from particular passages in the Torah. </p>
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<p>The Ralba’g / Gersonides (1288-1344), lived in Provence. It is known that he was an eminent halachist, however the bulk of his halachic writings have been lost. </p>
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<p>See D. Horowitz, Ralbag’s View of a Central Pragmatic Ethical Characteristic of Abraham in: Hazon Nahum, Studies Presented to Norman Lamm (1997) pp. 265-309. </p>
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<p>Abraham Conat was one of the pioneers of Hebrew printing. The Conats were the first to work as a family unit - Estellina, Abraham’s wife, played a senior role in the management of the press. Conat, a physician, was also active as a copyist of Hebrew manuscripts. Commenting on the beautiful Hebrew font Conat created, Haberman observes: “The Hebrew letters were cut in accordance with his distinctive handwriting, the readers of his generation would not have immediately discerned the difference between his manuscript and a book printed by him.” </p>
<p>See A.M. Habermann, Studies in the History of Hebrew Printers and Books (1978), p. 3. See further, L. Pescasio, L’arte della stampa a Mantova nei secoli XV-XVI-XVII (Mantua, 1971), p. 11; V. Colorni, Abraham Conat—primo stampatore di opere ebraiche in Mantova in: La Bibliofilia 83 (1981).<br /></p>