Menorath ha-Ma’or [“The Candelabrum of Light”: Ethical Treatise]

AUCTION 32 | Thursday, March 23rd, 2006 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Autographed Letters, Manuscripts, Graphics and Ceremonial Art

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Lot 193

ABOAB, ISAAC

Menorath ha-Ma’or [“The Candelabrum of Light”: Ethical Treatise]

Square Temanic script on paper. Title within red and black ink design. Headers and initials enhanced with red ink. Double columns ff. 3, 164, (1). One leaf (f. 70 ) missing lower outer corner (no loss of text). Title repaired. Some worming and staining. Modern blind-tooled calf. Folio

Rada, Yemen: 1722

Est: $1,000 - $1,500

First published in Constantinople in 1514, Menorath ha-Ma’or has been throughout the ages an immensely popular and inspirational ethical work. Proof of its popularity is the fact that it enjoyed several translations to the various Jewish vernaculars whether it be Judeo-Espanol (Ladino) or Judeo-German (Yiddish). Unfortunately, we possess scant biographical information concerning the author Isaac Aboab, other than the fact that he lived at the end of the fourteenth century, presumably in Spain. See EJ, Vol. II, cols. 90-92