Ohel Ya’acov [commentary on the philosophical and mathematical passages of Joseph Albo’s Sepher Ikrim]

KOPPELMAN, JACOB BEN SAMUEL BUNIM

Israel Sifroni for Ambrosius Frobin

(Freiburg)

1584

FIRST EDITION. Title within a typographical border. Numerous geometric and astrological charts and diagrams; woodcut illustration of two men in a boat on f.32r.

Vinograd, Freiburg 6; Mehlman 1208; Prijs 142; Adams J-27

Born in the Baden town of Freiburg im Breisgau, the Talmudic scholar Jacob ben Samuel Bunim Koppelman, was distinguished for his broad knowledge of secular sciences. Indeed, on the title page of this work he is described as;”the encyclopaedic scholar and divine philosopher.” A child prodigy, and student of Mordechai Jaffe, Koppelman studied mathematics and astrology in addition to intense occupation with traditional Jewish learning. He was 28 years old when he completed this work. The Hebrew press at Freiburg came into existence as a result of the difficulties entailed with Hebrew printing in the Swiss border town of Basle. During the two years of its operation, Freiburg produced seven Hebrew books.