Mateh Dan - Second Kuzari. Exceptional copy. London 1714.

Mateh Dan - Second Kuzari. Exceptional copy. London 1714.
The author, Rabbi David Nieto, explains his book's title in his introduction:

“Mateh Dan – since it is a staff (mateh) of strength and judgement, to hit on the head of the Karaite, followers of Anan and Shaul. I also named the book Mateh Dan because the word Dan comprises the initial letters my name - David Nieto”.

Rabbi David Nieto was a Rabbi, philosopher and physician. He served as a rabbi and dayan in Livorno, and for London’s Spanish community. He was born in Venice in 1654, scion of a Marrano family, from the elders of the Jewish community. Rabbi Nieto was a disciple of Rabbi Samuel Aboab of Venice.

Rabbi Nieto’s most famous composition, Mateh Dan - The Second Kuzari, is devoted to proving the truth of the Oral Torah and the teachings of great Jewish Sages, a matter with which many Marranos struggled greatly.

The author of “Kehilat Yakov” says in his book “Chayei Olam”, that Mateh Dan is a required reading for those struggling faith issues.

The first edition of this book was printed in three versions: Hebrew only, Spanish only, and Hebrew and Spanish. The present copy is Hebrew and Spanish. It is the rarest of the three versions.

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London 1714. Thomas Ilife.

[9] 254 leaves. 22 cm.

Beautiful copy with exceptionally thick pages. Beautiful new binding. Lacking Hebrew title page.

Otzar Hasefer Database, No. 46986.

A most impressive copy