Volume of Four Early Printed Books – Polemic Books, First Editions and Only Editions – Sefer HaKuzari with the Kol ...

Volume of Four Early Printed Books – Polemic Books, First Editions and Only Editions – Sefer HaKuzari with the Kol Yehuda Commentary – Venice, 1594 / Mifalot Elohim – Venice, 1592 / Perush Derech Yemin / Mashbit Milchamot – Venice, 1606 – Early Leather Binding
Volume of four books printed in the late 16th / early 17th centuries, including polemic works. First and only editions:
1. Sefer HaKuzari, based on the debate of R. Yitzchak HaSangri, composed in Arabic by R. Yehuda HaLevi, with the Kol Yehuda commentary by R. Yehuda Moscato. Venice: Zuan (Giovanni) di Gara, [1594]. First edition of the Kol Yehuda commentary.
2. Mifalot Elohim, philosophical essays on the Creation of the World and faith, by R. Yitzchak Abarbanel. Venice: Zuan (Giovanni) di Gara, [1592]. First edition.
The book was published based on a manuscript from the collection of the Rema of Fano, as stated on the title page.
3. Perush Derech Yemin, concerning the direction for shaking the lulav, by R. Yosef Samega. [Venice, printer not indicated, 1606]. Only edition. Originally printed without title page.
Brief work clarifying the direction of Lulav shaking, and discussing the meaning of the Talmudic saying "All turns that you turn should be only to the right". A ruling was published in Toldot Adam by R. Shmuel Algazi, Venice 1605, regarding the way of performing the Hakafot and shaking the Lulav, with approbations by the Rema of Fano, R. Ovadia Sforno, and R. Zion Franzes. R. Yosef Samega and several other Torah scholars published their opposition to this ruling, and in return the Rema of Fano and R. Ovadia Sforno published the Yemin Hashem Romema booklet, Venice 1605. The present work, Perush Derech Yemin, was printed in response to the rulings published in Yemin Hashem Romema (regarding the controversy and the various booklets published during its course, see: Y. Yudlov, Sinai, 84, 1979, p. 167, note 10).
4. Mashbit Milchamot, collection of rulings by rabbis allowing the use of the Rovigo mikveh, which was at the center of a famous polemic. Venice: Zanetto Zanetti, 1606. Only edition.
The mikveh in the house previously owned by R. Avtalyon Consiglio in Rovigo was at the center of a polemic which stirred the rabbinic world in Italy. The rulings of rabbis permitting the use of the mikveh were compiled in the present work. Objections to the present rulings were published in the book Palgei Mayim, edited by R. Moshe Porto, Venice 1608, and in Mikveh Yisrael by R. Yehuda da Saltara of Fano, Venice 1607.
Printed signatures of eleven rabbis approving the use of the mikveh on p. 94b. In some copies, leaf 94 was rearranged, and the signature of R. Yosef son of R. Moshe of Kremnitz was added. Those copies include [2] additional leaves, with errata. The present copy includes the original leaf 94, without the additional signature and is without the [2] leaves of errata.
On verso of title page, foreword by R. Yitzchak Gershon, who presumably compiled the book and brought it to print (in his foreword, R. Yitzchak Gershon writes that he also approves the use of the mikveh; his name appears in the list of approving rabbis on p. 94b; regarding the Rovigo mikveh polemic, and the various publications on both sides, see: A. Yaari, Mechkarei Sefer, Jerusalem 1958, pp. 420-429).
Four books in one volume. Kol Yehuda: 299 leaves. Leaves 58, 136 and 196 are blank. Mifalot Elohim: 96 leaves. Perush Derech Yemin: 20, [2] leaves. Mashbit Milchamot: 94 leaves. 20 cm. Light-colored, high-quality paper. Most leaves in good condition. Perush Derech Yemin in good-fair condition. Stains, including some dampstains. Traces of past dampness with mold stains to Perush Derech Yemin. Worming to some leaves, not affecting text. Minor tear slightly affecting text on one leaf. Inscriptions. Early, gilt-ornamented leather binding. Defects and worming to binding; open tears to spine.