RaLBa”G). Pirush Chamesh Megiloth [commentary to the Five Scrolls]

LEVI BEN GERSHOM (GERSONIDES /

Jacob Marcaria

Riva di Trento

1560

FIRST EDITION. Title letters within decorative woodcut vignettes.

Vinograd, Riva di Trento 23; not in Adams

In these commentaries to the Five Scrolls, Gersonides provides “To’aliyoth” or morals to be learned from the narrative and “Bi’ur HaMiloth,” painstaking linguistic analysis of the words in each verse. In his commentary to Ecclesiastes, Gersonides seeks the main Aristotelian theories of practical ethics. He explains apparent contradictions in the Book, by the fact that the author included views with which he does not necessarily agree, in order to afford one a choice of action. Gersonides interprets the Song of Songs entirely as an allegory in relation to the Soul.