Siphthei Kohen [“Lips of a Priest”: Kabbalistic commentary on Pentateuch]

COHEN, MORDECHAI OF SAFED.

Daniel Zanetti

Venice

1605

FIRST EDITION. Title within architectural columns upon which are sculpted male and female busts as well as grotesques. Elaborate woodcut surround at beginning of each of five books of Pentateuch. Several lines struck by church censor. On title and final page, signatures of Church censors, “Pietro Ferdinando revisore deputato”; “Visto per me Gio[vanni] Domi[ni]co Carretto 1618.” (See Wm. Popper, The Censorship of Hebrew Books, pl. III, nos. 10 and 7)

Vinograd, Venice 1000

R. Mordechai Cohen was a disciple of R. Israel di Curiel, one of the outstanding sages of Safed and one of four scholars to receive the renewed “semicha” (ordination) of R. Jacob Berav. Although the exact line of transmission is unclear, the fact remains that the book Siphthei Cohen contains numerous citations from the teachings of R. Isaac Luria, (see eg. v.140r.). At the end of each pericope there is a section devoted to “Gematri’oth,” or numerical equivalences. See Ch.Y.D. Azulai, Shem ha-Gedolim, s.v. R. Mordecai Hakohen and s.v. Siphthei Cohen; EJ, Vol. V, col. 1173