Cheshek Shlomo [Commentary on Book of Proverbs)

DURAN, SOLOMON BEN TZEMACH

Pietro & Lorenzo Bragadin for Giovanni Caleone

Venice

1623

FIRST EDITION. Title within architectural columns. Previous owner’s marks (including N.H. Van Biema)

Vinograd, Venice 1146

In the Introduction, Solomon ben Zemah Duran provides his pedigree. He was the great-great-grandson of Solomon ben Simon Duran (RaSHBaSH) (c. 1400-1467). The mother of RaSHBaSH could trace her ancestry back to Rabbi Moses Nachmanides (RaMBaN). The Author inherited from his illustrious ancestors the rabbinate of Algiers. He died there some time after 1593. In the present work, the author rejects the accepted notion, that of the three works composed by King Solomon (Song of Songs, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), the Song of Songs was composed in Solomon’s youth. Though this opinion was embraced by Samuel ibn Tibbon (in his commentary to Ecclesiastes), this is a gross misreading of the text of Song of Songs. Earthly, romantic love is but the allegory for love of the Divine. Such spiritual love is achieved only in maturity. (A 20th-century theologian, Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik, also found unacceptable the notion that Song of Songs was the product of King Solomon’s youth).