Peirush Nevi’im Rishonim [commentary to Former Prophets]. With text of Bible.

AUCTION 65 | Thursday, June 25th, 2015 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial Objects and Graphic Art

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Lot 58

ABRABANEL, DON ISAAC.

Peirush Nevi’im Rishonim [commentary to Former Prophets]. With text of Bible.

<<FIRST EDITION>> . Printed without a title page (as per Mehlman, although JNUL records a handful of copies contain a half-title). Four-piece white-on-black woodcut border of Renaissance ornament on additional title (cf. Haberman, Sha’arei Sepharim Ivri’im, pl. 17). Letters of opening words within white-on-black decorative vignettes. Text of Bible in square Hebrew characters provided with nikud. Commentary of Abrabanel in Rabbinic cursive script. ff. 305 (of 306), lacking final leaf. Trimmed, few light stains, ff. 7-9 with upper marginal stain neatly taped, final four leaves starting and with outer margins frayed, trace marginal worming. Later sheep-backed boards, worn. Thick folio. Vinograd, Pesaro 29; Mehlman 64; not in Adams.

Pesaro: Gershom Soncino 1511

Est: $6,000 - $9,000

Abrabanel endeavors to explain the general content of the Bible, its principles, views and moral teachings more than the actual meaning of the words and passages. Primarily a philosophical, theological, ethical and to some extent historical commentary, his method as an exegete is entirely novel, prefacing each section of each Book with a number of questions and then interpreting that section in such a manner as to gradually resolve them. The preface includes Abrabanel’s account of his life in Spain and the subsequent Expulsion. See M. Waxman, vol. II, pp. 46-51 and, in general B. Netanyahu, Don Isaac Abravanel, Statesman & Philosopher (1968).