Sepher ha-Kuzari [philosophy]. Translated from Arabic to Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibbon. With commentary “Kol Yehudah” by Judah Moscato

AUCTION 37 | Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Graphic & Ceremonial Art

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Lot 102

HALEVI, JUDAH

Sepher ha-Kuzari [philosophy]. Translated from Arabic to Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibbon. With commentary “Kol Yehudah” by Judah Moscato

Third edition. First edition with commentary. Title within garlanded architectural arch. On title page, signature of former owner, “N. Ellinger, Mayence.” ff. 299. Dampstained and wormed. Underlining and marginalia in pencil. Contemporary vellum, hole in spine. 4to Vinograd, Venice 794; Habermann, di Gara 144; Adams J-401

Venice: Giovanni di Gara 1594

Est: $400 - $600

PRICE REALIZED $750

Written in the form of a Socratic dialogue, Halevi develops a philosophy of history in an attempt to show the insufficiency of theological conclusions arrived at by rationalistic means. His underlying principle is that God cannot be found or conceived by reason, but rather by an intuition peculiar to Semitic peoples. It is this divine intuition (“al-amr al-ilahi” in the Arabic original or “ha-inyan ha-Elo-hi” in Tibbonide Hebrew) which may bring one to the highest spiritual level, that is, prophecy. See D. Lobel, Between Mysticism and Philosophy (2000); M. Waxman, A History of Jewish Literature, Vol. I, pp. 333-39