FLAVIUS JOSEPHE (Joseph Ben Matthias dit).Livre Rare Book
33 résultats
1672réf. 4649Paris, Pierre Le Petit, 1672, 9 X 16 cm., relié, 550 pages. Avec ce que Philon Juif a écrit de son ambassade vers l'empereur Caïus Caligula. Traduite du grec par Monsieur Arnaud d'ANDILLY. Quatrième édition. Plein veau, dos à nerfs orné, tranches jaspées. Des épidermures et craquelures, coiffes abîmées, coupes et coins émoussés. Très peu de traces sur les feuillets.
1672réf. 4650Paris, Pierre Le Petit, 1672, 9 X 16 cm., relié, 550 pages. Traduite sur l'original grec revu sur divers manuscrits par Monsieur Arnaud d'ANDILLY. Quatrième édition. Plein veau, dos à nerfs orné, tranches jaspées. Des manques de peau, épidermures et craquelures, coiffes abîmées, coupes et coins sérieusement émoussés. Notes à la plume sur une page de garde. Très peu de traces sur les feuillets.
1680réf. 107343H. Hills 1680. Softcover. Very good. A comedy first acted in the year 1605 by the King's Majesty's Servants with the allowance of the Master of Revels. Very good condition. Both cover are missing. Back page is loose. Pages are unmarked. H. Hills unknown
1640réf. 1299690London: Richard Bishop 1640. Second Edition. Other. Title page only from 'The Alchemist' part of the second folio of Ben Johnson measuring 11.25" x 7.25"; JG consignment; shelved case 0. 1299690. Shelved Dupont Bookstore. Richard Bishop unknown books
1640réf. R7GLTBRN1408London: Richard Meighen 1640. Hardback recent quarter calf gilt title to spine. News end-papers and blanks. 30cm x 20cm. This book contains 3 works of Ben Jonson each with a divisional title page. 1640-41. Pp. 163-292 117-155. Some works published here posthumously for the first time including the unfinished Mortimer. Page 169-170 trimmed lacking margins lacking p. 171-174. In 'The Sad Shepherd' pagination p. 151/154 misnumbered p.123-145 misnumbered as 133-155 final leaf laid down with restoration to margins p.133 with restoration. Occasional archival repairs to page edges some leaves with loss at the edges and leaves toned as to the be expected. Scarce. r7. Hard Cover. Good. [Richard Meighen] Hardcover
1700réf. 2008270673xbvkLeipzig, in Verlegung Friedrich Lanckischien Erben - Druckts Joh. Heinrich Richter, 1700. Gestochenes Frontispizportrait (Brustbild in ornamentalem Rankenwerk mit kalligraphischer Legende), Titelblatt gedruckt in Rot und schwarz; (6) S. 'Vorrede an den Leser', (6) S. 'Register derjenigen Fragen, welche in dem ersten Theile abgehandelt worden', 1.400! Seiten; mit unbedruckten fliegenden Vorsatzblättern. - Pergamenteinband der Zeit mit schwarzem Rundum-Farbschnitt (ca. 21 x 17 x 9 cm; ca. 1,5 kg.).
1627réf. 11886Basel: Azeleah 1627. First edition. Hardcover. fair. 8vo. 68 leafs. 3/4 leather over black paper covered boards. String ties. Printed on high quality thick cotton rag. Illustrated title page. Early book on Hebrew Grammar and Language. Covers and Spine are worn. Hinges starting. Abrasions on cover. Back slip is chipped. Inscriptions and stamps on inside covers. Minor rippling throughout. Minor foxing throughout not affecting text. Interior in good condition. In Hebrew. Binding in poor inside in good condition. Bet Eked V.3 P.979 #733. Azeleah hardcover
1640réf. 217317London: Anonymous 1640. Very Good Minus. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. A complete play published only a couple of years after the death of Ben Johnson a playwirght famous for his colourful life that included murder and for being a contemporary of William Shakespeare. This play is compelte in its own right with title page persons that act prologue Acts and Scenes from Acts 1 - 5 and the epilogue. It paginates from page 67 - 113 I2 - Q2 Almost certainly publsihed originally in a book of the Workes of Benjamin Jonson. The second Volume. This volume would have contained three plays followed by three sections each with separate pagination containing A Tale of a Tub within this latter section. The title page of this play has 7 ink near contempoary lines running in parallel dividing the text into sections and underlining the place and date of publication. A number of the page corners are slightly rounded and turned with slight loss perhaps most noticeable to the title page no loss of text p 97 - 113 have one worm tract two thirds of the way up the leaf of 2 cm to the margin of the page in no way affecting the text. There is a little loss to the front margin of pp 75 and there is a light stain to the lower margin of pp 77 - 90. Scattered slight foxing. Slight ink dashes in ink to the margins and occasional ink underlining of the occasional word of pp 84 86 88 89 93 94 95 96 and 98 The title page has split from the tail of the play but remains attached for half the length of the spine from the head. The play holds together by the original cords though of course is lacking the original boards. Normal age toning. A surprisingly well preserved contemporarneous copy of a 17th century play. Anonymous hardcover
1623réf. 1724-22(Augsburg, 1623). Nunc primum latine publici iuris factae. 12°. Kupfertitel, 11 Bll., 428 S., 2 Bll. Pergament-Manuskripteinband. Etwas berieben, Deckel leicht fleckig. Erste Ss. mittig mit kleinem dezenten Löchlein (ohne Textverlust). EA. [2 Warenabbildungen]
1695réf. 045340Amsterdam: Chaim ben Rabbi Judah Lieb 1695. Hardcover. Good Condition. Early marbled paper covered wooden boards backed in vellum. Spine perished and vellum largely lacking paper chipped and torn from boards corners cracked with some loss of wood. Binding structure still more or less intact browning to page edges old stamp to title and final leaf. 1 33ff. Scarce Cabalistic commentary on Ecclesiastes. Size: Octavo 8vo. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 1 kilo. Category: Religion & Theology; Inventory No: 045340. Chaim ben Rabbi Judah Lieb hardcover
1684réf. jos28London: William Thackeray. G : in good condition. Cover rubbed and marked. Rebacked. Edges of frontis engravings and title page chipped. Folding plan lacks a section and a corner missing from fold. 1684. Reprint. Brown hardback leather cover. 180mm x 100mm 7" x 4". 344pp 2pp 10pp. 2 laid down frontispiece engravings and folding plan. 'Whereunto is added a Brief of the ten captivities; with the Pourtrait of the Roman Rams and Engins of Battery &c. As also of Jerusalem; with the tearful and presaging Apparitions that were seen in the air before her Ruins. Moreover there is a parallel of the late Times and Crimes in London with those in Jerusalem'. Epistle Dedicatory by James Howel from the Prison of the Fleet Feb. 5. 1650. . William Thackeray hardcover
1695réf. 045340Amsterdam: Chaim ben Rabbi Judah Lieb 1695. Hardcover. Good Condition. Early marbled paper covered wooden boards backed in vellum. Spine perished and vellum largely lacking paper chipped and torn from boards corners cracked with some loss of wood. Binding structure still more or less intact browning to page edges old stamp to title and final leaf. 1 33ff. Scarce Cabalistic commentary in Ecclesiastes. Size: Octavo 8vo. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 1 kilo. Category: Religion & Theology; Inventory No: 045340. Chaim ben Rabbi Judah Lieb hardcover books
1692réf. 52207Thomas Hodgkin for H. Herringman E. Brewster T. Basset Et Al. Good. 1692. Second Edition. Hardcover. 2nd edition. Contemporary paneled calf morocco label gilt-decorated spine rebacked; six raised bands. Without portrait. With front and rear blanks. Moderate wear hinges cracking board loose title page repaired first signature detached included last signature partially detached. Scattered foxing pages tanned. Pp. 8264 281-368 371-382 393-744 4. The mispagination is found in other copies; no text lacking. ; Folio 13" - 23" tall . Thomas Hodgkin, for H. Herringman, E. Brewster, T. Basset, Et Al hardcover
1685réf. JLOebSOL70Amsterdam: '5445' ie. 1684 or 1685. 1685. folio. ff. 224. Hebrew title within elaborate woodcut border. woodcut ornaments & title vignette. 2 columns. Hebrew text. contemporary vellum overlapping fore-edges lacking rear endleaves Hebrew title repaired at lower & gutter edge some light browning. Third Edition including the second edition of the super-commentary Leket Shikchah first printed in the 1660-61 edition by Jacob Abendana Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue London 1681-85. Amsterdam: '5445' [ie. 1684 or 1685]. hardcover
1616réf. 52220London. Good. 1616-1640. Hardcover. Old paneled calf rebacked later. Front board detached included. Contains: the Masques; Under-woods; Mortimer: his Fall. Horace; English Grammar; Timber: The Magnetick Lady; a Tale of a Tub. At the end are the first 7pp of the Masques. Lacks general title page. Ample margins in spite of mild marginal losses at leading edges with the exception of Discoveries which has slight losses to some of the printed marginalia. Pp. 1 sectional title 10-159 Masques ; 3 163-285 Under-Wood ; 1 287-290 291-292 Mortimer ; 1-29 Horace His Art of Poetrie ; 30-33 34-84 The English Grammar ; 85-96 one leaf excised 99-132 Discoveries ; 2 3-64 The Magnetick Lady ; 2 67-120 a Tale of a Tub which is misnumbered all of the 70's are repeated. 1-7 Christmas His Masque as it was Presented at Court. 1616 The last pages have some marginal repairs. ; quarto . hardcover
1606réf. 36154Venice Zan. Zanetti 5422 =1606. Small 4to. Later marbled paper over earlier blue paper-covered boards paper spine over earlier cloth spine. Binding somewhat worn. Woodcut title-page and woodcut vignette at end depicting two lions under a tree. Old owner's stamp to title-page and to second and last leaf "D.L.W. - David Weissappel. Some marginal annotations in old Hebrew script. Last half of leaves turned brown otherwise a bit brownspotted. Top-corner torn off last leaf but this corner is present and there is no loss of text. Fairly well preserved and complete copy of this early Hebrew book. 51 ff. First edition of this fourth book of responsa by Joseph Ben David Ibn Lev.Joseph Ibn Lev 1505-1580 was a Turkish Rabbi who moved to Constantinople in 1550. He reacted against Pope Paul IV due to his cruelty against the Jews. He is called "The Great Jurist" and is known to have written the four books of Responsa which were highly thought of. This is the fourth of the four books of Responsa that he wrote. The three first were printed in Constantinople around 1560-1573 and this fourth was printed in Venice in 1606. Other editions appeared later on but every one of these four books in the first edition rare and only few copies are registered. hardcover
1606réf. 36154Venice, Zan. Zanetti, 5422 (=1606). Small 4to. Later marbled paper over earlier blue paper-covered boards, paper spine over earlier cloth spine. Binding somewhat worn. Woodcut title-page and woodcut vignette at end, depicting two lions under a tree. Old owner's stamp to title-page and to second and last leaf (""D.L.W. - David Weissappel). Some marginal annotations in old Hebrew script. Last half of leaves turned brown, otherwise a bit brownspotted. Top-corner torn off last leaf, but this corner is present, and there is no loss of text. Fairly well preserved and complete copy of this early Hebrew book. (51 ff.)
1640réf. 1396609London: Printed by Richard Bishop and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke 1640. Hardcover. Quarto 668 228 pages. In Good Minus condition. Spine is cracked brown with gilt lettering. Boards quarter bound with green leather to spine and brown leather to boards. Tattering to spine caps board corners worn and exposed wear to edges and hinges. Spine leather is agetoned brown and has mild cracking rear board has light scuffing. Marbled endpapers rear endpapers have darkening around perimeter. Former owner's name in ink on front endpaper. Cracked front hinge frontispiece and title page loose from binding faint damp stain to top portion of pages. Foxing within textblock consistent with age. Illustrated: b&w frontispiece portrait. Shelved case 0. Each part has special title page with imprint: London : Printed by Richard Bishop 1640 except for “Poëtaster” which has the imprint: London : Printed by Robert Young 1640. 1396609. Shelved Dupont Bookstore. Printed by Richard Bishop and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke hardcover
1692réf. WRCLIT70282London: Printed by Thomas Hodgkin . 1692. 12264281-368371-2371-382393-7444pp. Folio signed in 4s; 14.5 x 9.25"; 368 x 237mm. Modern paneled dark brown calf raised bands gilt spine labels with earlier gilding to all edges. Engraved portrait of Jonson engraved by Elder after Vaughn. Portrait and title a bit foxed inky marginal smear to E31r; some old spotting to C2-4 3A4 and 4C4-4D4; 3C1-2 on inferior paper and tanned as usual; top edge of 3Y3 shows a bit of slight fraying; other occasional marginal smudges dusting or trivial spotting; otherwise generally a very good crisp copy. Third and last folio edition but the first in one volume adding "The New Inn" and "Leges Convivales" which were not included in the collected editions of 1616 and 1640. The characteristic poor paper and tanning of 3C1-2 often extend to 2Z2-3 which are here relatively unblemished. The final two leaves are turned over to the "Leges Convivales" with its own title and imprint. This copy although in a modern binding measures somewhat larger than the Hagen-Pforzheimer copy which is noted as in original calf. ESTC R15282. PFORZHEIMER 561. Printed by Thomas Hodgkin ... hardcover books
1633réf. 55772Amsterdam: by the Author 1633. First edition. Modern calf. Good-. Quarto 19 by 14.6 cm. Collation: asterisk4 A-2G4. 8 240 pp. Woodcut printer's device at title; 4 half-titles; printed marginalia. Text in Latin. Recent full polished calf to style spine with raised bands. Text lightly toned with damstaining/spotting especially at outermost leaves; occasional slight chips or small tears at margins; one leaf with perforation resulting in loss of several letter on each side of page; small perforation in blank field at title. A fairly good copy. First part only of the first Latin edition of this classic work on Jewish apologetics written by the celebrated rabbi religious thinker and printer-publisher Menasseh ben Israel 1604-1657. The work was first published in Spanish at Amsterdam in four parts between 1632 and 1651. By providing a harmonization of all the apparent contradictions within the Hebrew Scriptures he hoped to encourage converso Jews of Iberian descent who had lost touch with their religious heritage to make the return to rabbinic Judaism. The present volume deals with the Pentateuch Five Books of Moses; the second volume treats the Prophetic books and the Hagiographa Writings. The work was first published a year earlier in a Spanish language edition. The work attempts resolution to no less than 180 seeming discrepancies in the Pentateuch. The breadth of Menasseh's encyclopedic knowledge is vast the Conciliador contains citations from 221 Jewish and 54 non-Jewish authorities. "No reader could fail to be impressed by the amazing range of titles which the author proudly appended to the work" Roth. References: Kayserling p. 69; C. Roth A Life of Menasseh ben Israel: Rabbi Printer and Diplomat Philadelphia 1945 p. 88. Silva Rosa 16. Full title and imprint: Conciliator sive De convenientia locorum S. Scripturae quae pugnare inter se videntur. Opus ex vetustis & recentioribus omnibus Rabbinis magnâ industriâ ac fide congestum. Amstelodami. Auctoris typis & impensis. M.D C XXXIII. by the Author unknown
1642réf. 69492Amsterdam: Printed by the Author 1642. Full Description: MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL. Dissertatio de Fragilitate Humana ex Lapsu Adami Deque Divino in Bono Opere Auxilio. Amsterdam: Printed by the Author 1642. First edition. Small octavo 5 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches; 146 x 90 mm. 16 141 1 errata pp. Text in Latin interspersed with Hebrew. A woodcut device on title-page. Woodcut initials. Bound after: MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL. De Resurrectione Mortuorum Libri III. Amsterdam: Printed by the Author 1636. First edition. Small octavo . 22 133 11 137-241 11 245-346 6 index pp. Text in Latin interspersed with Hebrew. The woodcut printer's device on the title-page is a 'magical square' in Hebrew letters. Woodcut initials. Full contemporary vellum. Front inner hinge cracked but firm. Spine with torn paper label titled in ink manuscript. Some ink call numbers on spine but no other library markings. Vellum a bit soiled. Title-page of Dissertatio is backed with loss to fore-edge margin but not affecting text. Leaf A2 of the same book with repair to top margin just touching headline. Leaf T2 in Resurrectione with small closed tear touching some letters but with no loss. Front pastedown with bookplate from Rochester Theological Seminary. Overall very good. "Dissertatio de Fragilitate Humana ex Lapsu Adami" or "Dissertation on the Fragility of Man from the Fall of Adam" is a work in which Menasseh disputed the Christian doctrine of original sin. The work was also published in Latin in the same year. "As per many theological works by Amsterdam scholar and Hebrew printer Menasseh ben Israel Dissertatio de Fragilitate Humana was directed primarily to a Gentile audience. Dedicated to Gerbrandt Anslo a Christian Hebraist who was a pupil of Menasseh this study focuses upon the issue of predestination. In opposition to the Christian doctrine of Original Sin Menasseh was a staunch proponent of the traditional Jewish teaching that Man is born into the world pure and innocent." Kestenbaum and Company. De Resurrectione Mortuorum Libri III or 'Three books on the resurrection of the dead' is in Latin which suggests it was for a Christian audience. A Spanish version also exists however which indicates that this text was also written for a Jewish audience which in 1636 was split by theological dissent. This and the Sefer Nishmat hayim can be seen as a response to the challenges of Uriel Acosta 1585-1640. Acosta was a sceptic philosopher who in 1624 had published 'An Examination of the Traditions of the Pharisees'. Acosta was suggesting that rabbis were descended from the Pharisees. The Pharisees were theologically opposed by the Sadducees. Menasseh notes that his work is written "contra Zaducaeos" "against the Sadducee" almost certainly a reference to Acosta. Acosta questioned the idea of the immortality of the soul regarding it as a concept invented by the rabbis without any biblical foundation." University of Leeds. "Menasseh ben Israel 1604-1657 was among the most accomplished and cosmopolitan rabbis of his time and a pivotal intellectual figure in early modern Jewish history. He was one of the three rabbis of the "Portuguese Nation" in Amsterdam a community that quickly earned renown worldwide for its mercantile and scholarly vitality. Born in Lisbon Menasseh and his family were forcibly converted to Catholicism but suspected of insincerity in their new faith. To avoid the horrors of the Inquisition they fled first to southwestern France and then to Amsterdam where they finally settled. Menasseh played an important role during the formative decades of one of the most vital Jewish communities of early modern Europe and was influential through his extraordinary work as a printer and his efforts on behalf of the readmission of Jews to England." Menasseh ben Israel Rabbi of Amsterdam by Steven Nadler. "Menasseh ben Israel bridged the Jewish and the Christian worlds. He was a rabbi a scholar and a publisher who authored and printed works in Latin Portuguese Spanish and Hebrew. He also collaborated with Rembrandt who etched his portrait. Menasseh ben Israel is particularly interesting to Hebrew scholars and librarians. He revolutionised Hebrew printing and made Amsterdam the capital of Hebrew publishing. He helped create a new standard of Hebrew typography that became widely known imitated and pirated as "Defus Amsterdam" Amsterdam print and "Otiyot Amsterdam" Amsterdam Letters." University of Leeds. HBS 69492. $4000. Printed by the Author unknown
1660réf. 66808Sumptibus authoris [l'auteur] typis Georgi Deckeri | Basileae [Bâle] 1660 | 16 x 20.50 cm | relié
1631réf. 55459Amsterdam: printed by Menasseh ben Israel for Henricus Laurentius 1631. First edition. Hardcover. Very good-. Octavo 16.8 by 11.4 cm. Collation: aleph-lamed-zayin8 = 296 leaves. 612 i.e. 592 pp: p. 464 erroneously numbered 484 465 as 485 and so on throughout. Two column text in unvocalized Hebrew; every fifth verse numbered in the margin. Title within architectural border; half titles with letterpress ornamentation for the Former and Latter Prophets. Contemporary vellumwith exposed thongs edges stained blue; yapp fore-edges; front joint cracked but holding strong. Intermittent light toning to text outmost leaves a bit more darkened; very occasional small stains. Title-page slighltly trimmed 4 mm at bottom edge; expert marginal repairs at bottom corners of 2 leaves; 1 leaf re-margined at fore-edge with no loss of text else a very good copy with crisp clean text. First Hebrew Bible published in Amsterdam printed by the rabbi diplomat publisher and religious thinker Menasseh ben Israel 1604-1657 one of the most distinguished members of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam and the first Jewish printer in the Northern Netherlands. The Amsterdam printer and publisher Hendrick Laurensz Lauretius provided the financing for this edition along with two other Bible editions and two editions of the Hebrew Psalms printed by Menasseh between 1631 and 1646. "These publications were not only made for the local market but mainly for international trade. Thanks to this financial help Menasseh was able to organize his printing office in a more professional way" Fuks hiring a Jewish compositor Judah Leb ben Mordecai Gimple from Posen and a gentile compositor Bartholomeus Laurensz. The printing activity of Menasseh was especially important in the steadily growing productions of the Hebrew press in the Northern Netherlands. Fulfilling the needs of the Sephardic community for Jewish ritual texts eliminated the need for expensive imports from Venice and Poland. Menasseh undersood that the relatively cheap paper and tools available in Amsterdam made it possible to compete in quality and prices with the Hebrew presses of Poland Italy and Basel. "Gentile publishers and booksellers in Amsterdam such as Jansonius and Laurentius were quick to see the opportunity of the opening Eastern European market and financed several of Menasseh's publications" Fuks. Menasseh was the first to introduce in the Netherlands waybertaytsch types for Yiddish publications along with illustrated Hebrew books. He was also the first Jewish printer to adopt the Dutch pocket-book format made famous by the Elzeviers. Notes on publication date and issue: The title is dated 1630 in Arabic numerals; the colophon notes the date of completion in Hebrew characters as 5 Adar 5391 = 7 February 1631 along with the printer's apology for being unable to provide the index of pericopes promised on the title-page due to lack of printing material. Darlow and Moule describe this issue as Variant A with a Latin imprint appearing in the cartouche beneath the Hebrew title. Provenance and annotations: early entry in brown ink at front paste-down with short Greek inscription Theos. dated 1700; old Latin inscription in black ink at top margin title in reference to Hebrew roots; date of 1812 beside Yiddish entry penned in black ink within imprint cartouche at title; old entry in German penned in black ink at verso title beneath which is an oval cartouche in imitation of the one at the title in which an owner has penned in black ink the Hebrew imprint information regarding Hendrick Laurensz as it would appear in the Varient B issue; old library shelf marks at rear paste-down; recent owner entry in blue ink in Hebrew at front paste-down. References: Darlow and Moule 5123a; Fuks/Fuks-Mansfeld no. 152; pp. 105; 111f.; Steinschneider no. 453; Vinograd Amsterdam 22. Full title and imprint: חמשה חומשי תורה פרשיותיו פתוחות וסתומות ע"פ ×”×¨×ž×‘× ז"ל ומדוייק בחסירו' ויתרות להעתק ס"ת ×¢× לוח בסופו מועיל לסופרי' ×•× ×‘×™××™× ×¨××©×•× ×™× ×•××—×¨×•× ×™× ×•×›×ª×•×‘×™×: נדפס בבית מנשה בן ישר×ל ז׳׳צל והוגה בעיון נמרץ על ידו שנת ישמחו ×”×©×ž×™× Amstelodami sumptibus Henrici Laurentii 1630. printed by Menasseh ben Israel for Henricus Laurentius hardcover
1660réf. 66808Basileae Bâle Basel: Sumptibus authoris l'auteurtypis Georgi Deckeri 1660. Fine. Sumptibus authoris l'auteur typis Georgi Deckeri Basileae Bâle Basel 1660 16 x 20.50 cm relié Sumptibus authoris. Typis Georgi Deckeri Basileae Basel 1660 4to 16 x 20.5 cm 50 pp. 455 pp. 29 pp. modern vellum First edition of the Latin translation by Johannes Buxtorf The Younger of the first translation into Hebrew by Juda ibn Tibbon Juda Halevi's Arabic text not being rediscovered till 1887 today in the Bodleian. Modern vellum binding flaps. Skillful restoration to inside margin of final third of work without loss to text. A few small wormtracks filled in to lower margins of pastedowns as well as first and final endpapers. A few dampstains to lower portion and some pages browned. Stamp of the University Library at Leiden «Acad. Lugd.» to edges and title. Stamp of the restorer Willem Nicolaas du Rieu «Ex auct. Curatt. vendidi W. N. du Rieu» indicating its deaccession. A very rare copy of this classic of Medieval Jewish philosophy presenting the fears of Spanish Jews faced with two powerful religions Christianity and Islam. Written in 1140 in Arabic the Kuzari is couched in the form of a dialogue in five books. Charles Touati in his 1994 preface to the text summarizes the narrative thread of the work thus: «The king of the Khazars or Kuzari tormented by the religious question interrogates in turn a philosopher a Christian theologian and a Muslim one. Disappointed in their answers he feels he must turn to a learned man of the mocked and vilified minority a Rabbi who ends up convincing him at which the king converts to Judaism and continues his studies with the aid of this teacher.» This apologia allowed Juda Halevi to critique the appeal of philosophy Christianity and Islam for his contemporaries. According to him «philosophy denies all possibility of dialogue between Man and God and does not understand the religious phenomenon» ibid. Right from his starting point a proof of the existence of God he believes that we need only look to history and the revelation of God on Mount Sinai witnessed by thousands. Christianity and Islam are for him nothing but forgeries of Judaism: «they jeer at the humiliations and suffering of the Jews without realizing that they exalt in the founder of their own religions precisely that humiliation and suffering» ibid. The Kuzari is an emblematic text in the sense that it calls for the exiled community to return to Zion rather than submit. «It is better to leave everything and go back to Zion and there regain Divine favor instead of wearing ourselves out winning the favor of gentiles which in any case we will never have» ibid. Sumptibus authoris [l'auteur]typis Georgi Deckeri hardcover
1695réf. 55262Amsterdam: Be-veit ha-meshutafim Asher Anshil ben Eliezer ve-Yisakhar Ber ben Avraham Eliezer/ Moses Wiesel 1695. First edition. Hardcover. fair. Small folio 29 by 18.5 cm. Collation: aleph-vav4 zayin2 = 26 numbered leaves. Additional engraved title page engraved folding map at rear; main title with woodcut vignette; 14 half-page engraved illustrations in the text. Contemporary quarter calf over dark brown pastepaper boards skilfully rebacked. Images of Moses and Aaron at engraved title excised the seven small engraved vignettes along with letterpress text of engraved title and imprint mounted on old paper. Old marginal repairs at main title resulting in slight loss of initial letters along right margin and several leaves; slight strictly marginal worming and occasional tears. Stained throughout sometimes heavily though not impairing legibility. Map mounted to reinforce tears with virtually no loss of text or engraved imagery apart from printed border at right side. A fair copy at best; despite all defects the half-page engraved illustrations have survived intact with minimal staining. Housed in new maroon buckram slipcase. First edition of this gorgeously illustrated work now referred to simply as the Amsterdam Haggadah. The first such work to be illustrated with copperplate engravings it ranks among the most imitated of the Jewish manuals for the Passover seder. The popularity of these illustrations can be attested by the huge number of reprint editions over the centuries. Fourteen finely printed half-page engravings appear throughout the text. Some of these images illustrate the traditional content of the Passover seder or the Exodus story while others reference other biblical tales. Images include: the Rabbis of Bene Brak discussing the Passover story the four sons Abraham smashing the idols of his father Abraham welcoming the three angels Moses slaying the Egyptian overseer the rescuing Moses from the river Moses and Aaron coming to Pharaoh w/ staves turning to snakes the ten plagues the Egyptian army drowning in the Red Sea the Exodus the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai the eating of the Pascal Lamb King David composing his psalms and finally an exterior view of the Jewish Temple with the cityscape of Jerusalem in the background. All images are captioned with relevant passages in Hebrew. The engravings were all created by Abraham ben Jacob a German convert to Judaism who had moved to Amsterdam although some sources over the years misattributed them to financier Moses Wiesel 6 of which were adaptations and/or modifications of previous images by Swiss artist Matthäus Merian 1593-1650 from his original work "Icones Biblicae" 1625-30. In addition to the in text engravings there is famously fold-out engraved biblical map of the Holy Land in a notable format. Measuring a total of 19.5 by 11.5" the map shows the land of Israel the Wilderness of Sinai and Egypt in landscape orientation looking eastward towards the top of the map. It traces the journey of the Israelites starting with the Exodus from Egypt through the Sinai and into the Land of Israel. The map is detailed showing the areas of the twelve tribes important locations and cities as well as geographic features including the Red Sea Mount Sinai the Dead Sea the Sea of Galilee and many others. Additional illustrations appear near the bottom along with a legend. This beautiful work also by Abraham ben Jacob is considered among the earliest if not the first map of its kind to be printed within a Hebrew publication. It is now known to have been heavily based on the previously printed 1620 map in Hebrew by Jacob ben Abraham Zaddiq and Abraham Goos 1590 - ca. 1643 which itself was based on the map of 1590 by Christian Kruik van Adrichom Adrichem printed in Latin. Text throughout is printed in Hebrew with smaller text in Rashi script underneath containing famous commentary on the Passover Haggadah by acclaimed Portuguese Rabbi and scholar Isaac ben Judah Abarbanel 1437-1508. The verso of the title page contains the order of the Passover seder with brief instructions in both Ladino Judeo-Spanish and Yiddish Judeo-German a nod to the subtitle which references both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions. Provenance and annotations: Full page of text appx. 1500 words in neat Hebrew cursive at front endleaf which discusses aspects of the Haggadah text; inscription in German at front endleaf by Isidor Adler who mentions his friend Hermann Mechlenburg dated March 1906; old annotations throughout in at least two hands. In one notable instance the Hebrew phrase l'shana ha-ba'ah be-hamburg next year in Hamburg! has been added in fine block characters above the traditional phrase l'shana ha-ba'ah bi-yerushalayim next year in Jerusalem. Hebrew title: סדר הגדה של פסח כמנהג ××©×›× ×– וספרד Alternate transliterations: Seder Hagadah shel Pesah Seder Hagadah sel Pesah References: Friedberg 278 Fuks HTN II 521; Yudlov Haggadah 93; Vinograd Amsterdam 627; Ya'ari no. 59; Laor 876 Map; Nebenzahl pp.138-1389 Map; Yerushalmi plate 59-62; Rosenau "Vision of the Temple" p.135 146-7. Be-veit ha-meshutafim [Asher Anshil ben Eliezer ve-Yisakhar Ber ben Avraham Eliezer]/ Moses Wiesel hardcover
