Devarim Nechumim [commentary to the Book of Lamentations, with text]

ALSHEICH, MOSES.

Giovanni di Gara

Venice

1601

First Edition. Title page within garlanded architectural arch. On title, inscription of former owner, “Aaaron ben Elyakim of Worms.” Replete with fascinating marginalia, which however, due to cropping, are truncated in most places. E.g. on f. 12r., the glossarist points out that the words “Ein menachem li kol” have the initials “mal’ach” (angel), while in the next verse, the finals of “tavo kol ra’atham lefanecha” spell out the same word “mal’ach”

Vinograd, Venice 923; Habermann, di Gara 206; not in Adams

Moses Alsheich (d. after 1593), a native of Adrianople (Edirne), Turkey, who settled in Safed, the city of kabbalists, has been honored by Jewish history with the epithet “Ha-Kadosh” (the holy one), a title reserved for very few. He was a member of the Beth Din of R. Joseph Karo who bestowed upon him the full Semicha (ordination) which had just been re-introduced by R. Yaakov Berav