Ha’Emunoth VehaDe’oth [philosophy]. Translated into Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibon.

Auction 94 | Thursday, June 17th, 2021 at 11:00am
Rare & Excellent Hebrew Printed Books: From the Library of Arthur A. Marx

Back to Catalogue Download Catalogue

Lot 399
SAADIAH GAON.

Ha’Emunoth VehaDe’oth [philosophy]. Translated into Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibon.

<<FIRST EDITION.>> Wide margins. ff. 87, (1). Title remargined, final leaf laid down with loss of a few letters, previous owner’s inscriptions, marginal repairs, generally a clean copy. Modern morocco. Sm. 4to. Vinograd, Const. 222.

Constantinople: Solomon Ya’avetz 1562

Est: $6,000 - $8,000
<<First edition of a fundamental work of Jewish philosophy.>> Originally written in Arabic, Ha’emunoth Vehade’oth was the first systematic treatise of religious Jewish philosophic literature. Saadiah Gaon’s purpose is two-fold: To demonstrate the principles of Judaism are compatible with Reason and to interpret these principles in a manner that their rationality be evident. The book is divided into ten sections each of which is subdivided into chapters. The first nine sections philosophically establish the ten fundamental principles of faith and the tenth, is devoted to ethics. For a brief overview of Saadiah’s philosophic arguments, see M. Waxman, Literature, Vol. I pp. 322-7.