RaLBa’G). Milchamoth Hashem [“Wars of the Lord”: philosophy]

LEVI BEN GERSHON (GERSONIDES /

Jacob Marcaria

Riva di Trento

1560

FIRST EDITION. Title within ornamental border and featuring device of Cardinal Madrucci, the patron of the printing enterprise (see Amram pp. 296-97; Yaari, Hebrew Printers’ Marks, no. 28, facsimile of title in EJ, Vol. XI, col. 93). Autographs of Abraham Cohen and Israel Ozer ben Jacob on title.

Vinograd, Riva di Trento 20.

Levi ben Gershom (1288-1344), a native of Languedoc in the south of France, was a polymath, excelling in the fields of Biblical exegesis, philosophy, mathematics and astronomy and was likely the last distinguished Aristotelian not only in the Jewish world, but in all of Medieval Europe. Milchamoth Hashem analyzes philosophical matters pertaining to the immortality of the Soul, the nature of prophecy, Divine omniscience and providence, the nature of the heavenly spheres and the question of the eternity of matter. For an analysis of Gersonides’ inquires found in Milchamoth Hashem alongside a critical comparison to Aristotle’s beliefs, see I. Zinberg, A History of Jewish Literature, Vol. III, pp. 129-39; see also G. Freudenthal (Ed.) Studies on Gersonides: A Fourteenth-Century Jewish Philosopher-Scientist (1992).