(Moses ben Gershon Gentili). Malecheth Machsheveth [novellae to the Pentateuch based upon the Natural Sciences]

A native of Trieste, the author, a child prodigy, developed into a fine Rabbinic decisor as well as a scholar familiar with the disciplines of mathematics and the sciences. The engraved frontispiece portrait depicts the author without a head covering and clean-shaven as was the custom among the Italian Rabbis. Interestingly, the author’s portrait in the second edition of the work (Koenigsberg, 1814), was altered to include a head-covering, gray hair and the Hebrew title “The Sage” (Ha’gaon), seemingly more becoming of a Rabbi. The portrait in the present edition is often lacking. According to Yudlow (in his description of the Mehlman copy), the index of philosophical subjects discussed entitled “Kelalim Be-Mechkar” is especially scarce, as it was printed after completion of the publication and not inserted in many copies