Siphthei Kohen [“Lips of a Priest”: Kabbalistic commentary on Pentateuch]

AUCTION 31 | Tuesday, December 13th, 2005 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Hebrew and Other Printed Books

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Lot 102

COHEN, MORDECHAI OF SAFED.

Siphthei Kohen [“Lips of a Priest”: Kabbalistic commentary on Pentateuch]

FIRST EDITION. Title within architectural columns upon which are sculpted male and female busts as well as grotesques. Elaborate woodcut surround at beginning of each of five books of Pentateuch. Several lines struck by church censor. On title and final page, signatures of Church censors, “Pietro Ferdinando revisore deputato”; “Visto per me Gio[vanni] Domi[ni]co Carretto 1618.” (See Wm. Popper, The Censorship of Hebrew Books, pl. III, nos. 10 and 7) ff. 336. Several ff. misbound (duplicate ff. have been inserted between sigs. 8.6 and 9.1). ff. 244-245 supplied from a slightly shorter copy. Ex library. Stains. Modern vellum-backed boards. Folio Vinograd, Venice 1000

Venice: Daniel Zanetti 1605

Est: $600 - $900

PRICE REALIZED $800

R. Mordechai Cohen was a disciple of R. Israel di Curiel, one of the outstanding sages of Safed and one of four scholars to receive the renewed “semicha” (ordination) of R. Jacob Berav. Although the exact line of transmission is unclear, the fact remains that the book Siphthei Cohen contains numerous citations from the teachings of R. Isaac Luria, (see eg. v.140r.). At the end of each pericope there is a section devoted to “Gematri’oth,” or numerical equivalences. See Ch.Y.D. Azulai, Shem ha-Gedolim, s.v. R. Mordecai Hakohen and s.v. Siphthei Cohen; EJ, Vol. V, col. 1173