(MAIMONIDES/RaMBa”M). Mishnah Torah [Rabbinic Code]

MOSES BEN MAIMON.

Meir Parenzo for Alvise Bragadin

Venice

1574-75

FIRST EDITION with commentary by Joseph Karo. With glosses including Abraham ben David of Posquieres (RAVa”D) and Levi ibn Chabib. Fourteen parts in four volumes. Four title pages, each with Bragadin’s device of Three Crowns, Meir Parenzo’s device of Venice and the Dragon on verso, and following the Table of Contents (the late) Asher Parenzo’s device of a Mountain rising from the Sea. Text illustrations. Final volume with first editon of the alphabetical index compiled by the School of Baruch Uziel. Final leaf with a poem in honor of one of Karo’s disciples, Abraham Hayug. Signatures on title with marginal notations in an Italian 17th century hand

Vinograd, Venice 600; I.J. Dienstag, Mishneh Torah LehaRambam, in: Studies...in Honor of I. Edward Kiev (1971) no. 10; Adams M-169

This important first edition with the Keseph Mishneh, contains a fore- and after-word that relates that Moses Provencal of Mantua “whose net is spread till Safed” was the catalyst of the edition, encouraging and hastening Karo to complete the work for publication. Karo’s previous experience in publishing his Beth Yoseph had been disagreeable, for the printer went to press without waiting for the author’s corrections, which later had to be published separately. Rabbi Provencal’s prodding was not in vain for the afterword notes that Karo died before the publication was completed. Karo also used the agency of the great scholar and Kabbalist R. Menachem Azaria of Fano to ensure the perfection of the work. It is suggested that the Holy R’ma of Fano examined each volume upon publication