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

KOPPELMAN, JACOB BEN SAMUEL BUNIM.

Isaac ben Aaron Prostitz

Cracow

1599

Second edition. Title within wreathed and garlanded architectural arch. Numerous woodcut charts, mathematical diagrams and illustrations. THE RABBI NACHUM DOV-BER FRIEDMAN OF SADIGURA COPY, with his stamp on title

Vinograd, Cracow 213; Mehlman 1209; not in Adams; Ben Sasson, Hagut U’machshavah (Jerusalem, 1959) pp. 12-13

Born in the Baden town of Freiburg-im-Breisgau, the author, a Talmudic scholar, was also 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 the present work