Zemiroth Yisra’el [religious poetry].

NAJARA, ISRAEL.

Giovanni di Gara

Venice

1599

Second edition. Three parts subtitled Olath Tamid, Olath Shabbath, Olath Hodesh. Includes separate title page for each part. Hebrew text with instructions in Judeo-Italian. Appended another work Meimei Israel, collected letters by same author, again with separate title page. The latter work ends with brief moral exhortation entitled Mesaheketh BaTevel.

Vinograd, Venice 872.

First appearance of Ya-h Ribon Olam (f. 7r), one of the most popular Sabbath Zemiroth. A rabbi of Gaza, Najara was the first poet to compose and organize his piyutim according to the Near Eastern “maqam” style of musical composition. Born in Damascus c.1555, his compositions are distinguished by their deep religiosity, references to Jewish suffering and yearning for redemption. Although Najara learned much from the great Jewish poets of the Spanish-Arabic period, he frequently employed original forms and themes. This is the second, expanded edition. The first edition (Safed, 1586) is overwhelmingly rare.