Peirush al HaTorah al Derach Ha’emeth - Sepher Recanati [commentary to the Pentateuch]

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

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

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Lot 109

RECANATI, MENACHEM.

Peirush al HaTorah al Derach Ha’emeth - Sepher Recanati [commentary to the Pentateuch]

<<FIRST EDITION.>> Initial words of Leviticus and Numbers within woodcut borders. Scattered marginalia. Purchase inscription on title-page (Aleppo, 1673). ff. 154 (of 156). Text entirely complete lacking two blank leaves (as per the Mehlman copy). Minimally stained, previous owner’s inscriptions on opening leaves, marginal paper repairs to opening few leaves affecting a few letters, signed by censor at end. Modern calf. 4to. Vinograd, Venice 85; Habermann, Bomberg 84; Mehlman 1113; Adams M- 1243

Venice: Daniel Bomberg 1523

Est: $2,000 - $3,000

Recanati was the foremost Italian Kabbalist and Halachic authority of the 13th century. This commentary to the Pentateuch is the very first of its kind and is permeated with the conceptions of the early Kabbalists. It is the first to refer to the Zohar and the Bahir, from which a large number of citations together with their interpretations are provided. For a full appreciation of the importance of the author, see M. Idel, Menachem Recanati HaMekubal (1998) esp. pp. 79-80 quoting Prof. Y. Ta-Shema concerning otherwise unknown scholars cited by Recanati.