Me’am Loez (Bamidbar).

AUCTION 58 | Thursday, May 02nd, 2013 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts and Autograph Letters

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Lot 229

MAGRISO, YITZCHAK.

Me’am Loez (Bamidbar).

<<FIRST EDITION>> . Text in Ladino. Introductions and marginal comments in Hebrew. <<Map Of The Land Of Israel>> (f. 158a). With a second introduction apparently bound in from another volume (Vayikra). ff. (2), 8, 11-168. Heavily worn and stained, wormed, final leaf defective. Modern gilt-tooled calf. Sm. folio. Vinograd, Const. 590; Yaari, Const. 446; Mehlman 1483(5).

Constantinople: Ashkenazi Brothers 1764

Est: $500 - $700

PRICE REALIZED $500

Yaari located just one copy, housed in the Library of Machon Ben Tzvi, Jerusalem. Me’am Loez was the most popular, outstanding encyclopedic work of Judeo-Spanish literature and played a major role in Sephardic culture. It contains extracts from all parts of Rabbinical literature translated into the Ladino vernacular. The work was originally conceived by R. Jacob Culi who began the volume on Bereishith and part of Shemoth. After his untimely death, it was continued by Yitzchak Magriso and the final volume on Devarim by Yitzchak Behar Arguetti. The Sabbath-day study of the Me’am Lo’ez was considered a religious duty. See EJ Vol. XI col. 1158-60.