Cheshek Shlomo [Commentary on Book of Proverbs)

AUCTION 24 | Tuesday, June 29th, 2004 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial Art and Holy Land Maps Including Ceremonial Art from the Collection of Daniel M. Friedenberg

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Lot 74

DURAN, SOLOMON BEN TZEMACH

Cheshek Shlomo [Commentary on Book of Proverbs)

FIRST EDITION. Title within architectural columns. Previous owner’s marks (including N.H. Van Biema) ff. (8), 360, 10. Although complete, extensively mispaginated. Misbound: ff. 13-16 between ff. 20-21; ff. 17-19 between ff. 12-20. Minor staining and worming. ff. 97, 280 have suffered tears to the lower corners with no loss of text. On f. 205r. modern marginalium in red pen. Later boards, defective. Thick 4to Vinograd, Venice 1146

Venice: Pietro & Lorenzo Bragadin for Giovanni Caleone 1623

Est: $1,500 - $2,000

PRICE REALIZED $1,400

In the Introduction, Solomon ben Zemah Duran provides his pedigree. He was the great-great-grandson of Solomon ben Simon Duran (RaSHBaSH) (c. 1400-1467). The mother of RaSHBaSH could trace her ancestry back to Rabbi Moses Nachmanides (RaMBaN). The Author inherited from his illustrious ancestors the rabbinate of Algiers. He died there some time after 1593. In the present work, the author rejects the accepted notion, that of the three works composed by King Solomon (Song of Songs, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), the Song of Songs was composed in Solomon’s youth. Though this opinion was embraced by Samuel ibn Tibbon (in his commentary to Ecclesiastes), this is a gross misreading of the text of Song of Songs. Earthly, romantic love is but the allegory for love of the Divine. Such spiritual love is achieved only in maturity. (A 20th-century theologian, Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik, also found unacceptable the notion that Song of Songs was the product of King Solomon’s youth).