(RaLBa”G). Commentary to the Pentateuch

<<AN ATTRACTIVE, WIDE MARGINED COPY OF GERSONIDES’s COMMENTARY TO THE PENTATEUCH.>> In this voluminous commentary to the Pentateuch, the author initially examines the literal meaning of the text before expounding upon philosophical and moral maxims. A specialty of the commentary are the “To’eleth” or moral lessons to be derived from particular passages in the Torah. Gersonides (1288-1344), lived in Provence and represents the Rationalist School within medieval Bible exegesis. He provided important contributions in such diverse fields as philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. It is known that Gersonides was an eminent halachist, however the bulk of his halachic writings have been lost. See D. Horowitz, Ralbag’s View of a Central Pragmatic Ethical Characteristic of Abraham in: Hazon Nahum, Studies Presented to Norman Lamm (1997) pp. 265-309. Abraham Conat was one of the pioneers of Hebrew printing. The Conats were the first to work as a family unit - Estellina, Abraham’s wife, played a senior role in the management of the press. Conat, a physician, was also active as a copyist of Hebrew manuscripts. Commenting on the Hebrew font Conat created, Haberman observes: “The Hebrew letters were cut in accordance with his distinctive handwriting, the readers of his generation would not have immediately discerned the difference between his manuscript and a book printed by him.” See A.M. Habermann, Studies in the History of Hebrew Printers and Books (1978), p. 3. See further, L. Pescasio, L’arte della stampa a Mantova nei secoli XV-XVI-XVII (Mantua, 1971), p. 11; V. Colorni, Abraham Conat—primo stampatore di opere ebraiche in Mantova in: La Bibliofilia 83 (1981).