['Book of Roots', ie lexicon to the Bible].
Constantinople, printed by Ashtruk Detolon, 1513
DRAFT Lexicon to the Bible by Rabbi David ben Joseph Kimchi (c.1160~1235, sometimes spelled Kimhi, also known by the acronym Radak).
This is the second variant of the fourth edition, with a blank title page (as noted by Yudlov in the Mehlman catalogue). The first word of the text ('Amar' in this variant), on the reverse of the title page is the same font size as the following text, in other variant copies this word is printed in a larger font size.
Sefer HaShorashim is actually the second part of Kimchi's grammatical work titled Michlol (or Mikhlol); the first part (Helek HaDikduk [grammar] retained the title Michlol, while the second part (Helek HaInyan [lexicon] became known as Sefer HaShorashim, a glossary of Hebrew and Aramaic words. The text is arranged alphabetically, in three columns. Root letters of individual words are printed in bold, followed by philological explanations and biblical citations. To some extent Kimchi relied on the work of R. Jonah ibn Janah (first half 11th century) as well as on the philological writings of his father and brother, who were both accomplished grammarians. His other sources included R. Jacob ben Elazer (a 13th-century Spanish Jewish grammarian) and Abraham ibn Ezra (one of the most distinguished 12th-century Spanish Jewish biblical commentators and philosophers).
Kimchi's father, R. Joseph Kimchi, fled the Almohad persecutions in Spain and David Kimchi was born in Provence. Kimchi is known as the most prominent Hebrew grammarian of the medieval period, surpassing others in simplicity, comprehensiveness and methodical presentation of the subject matter. He is also known as a life-long anti-Christian polemicist, famously publishing his Teshuvot Lanotzrim [Responses to Christians]. A trace of the anti-Christian polemic can also be found in the offered book, the passage remarkably survived intact, while in other copies it was usually struck off by the censor: under the entry 'Elem' (l. 87a, bottom of third column), quoting his father, Kimchi derides the Christian assertion that the word 'almah' [a young girl] in Isaiah 7:14 refers to a virgin birth (parthenogenesis).
'Sefer HaShorashim is among the first printed Hebrew books, the first edition being among the undated books issued in Rome c. 1470, in addition to a second incunable edition (Naples, c. 1490)' Heller.
Fourth edition, blank title page variant; small folio (285 x 200 mm). Former owners signatures to opening leaf, including 'Saul David... Segal Ish Mortara'. Opening leaf margins professionally repaired, slight worming and some staining to a few leaves, edges stained red. Modern exquisitely blind-tooled calf boards, gilt title in English to spine, housed in a custom slip-case. 132 ll.
This is the second variant of the fourth edition, with a blank title page (as noted by Yudlov in the Mehlman catalogue). The first word of the text ('Amar' in this variant), on the reverse of the title page is the same font size as the following text, in other variant copies this word is printed in a larger font size.
Sefer HaShorashim is actually the second part of Kimchi's grammatical work titled Michlol (or Mikhlol); the first part (Helek HaDikduk [grammar] retained the title Michlol, while the second part (Helek HaInyan [lexicon] became known as Sefer HaShorashim, a glossary of Hebrew and Aramaic words. The text is arranged alphabetically, in three columns. Root letters of individual words are printed in bold, followed by philological explanations and biblical citations. To some extent Kimchi relied on the work of R. Jonah ibn Janah (first half 11th century) as well as on the philological writings of his father and brother, who were both accomplished grammarians. His other sources included R. Jacob ben Elazer (a 13th-century Spanish Jewish grammarian) and Abraham ibn Ezra (one of the most distinguished 12th-century Spanish Jewish biblical commentators and philosophers).
Kimchi's father, R. Joseph Kimchi, fled the Almohad persecutions in Spain and David Kimchi was born in Provence. Kimchi is known as the most prominent Hebrew grammarian of the medieval period, surpassing others in simplicity, comprehensiveness and methodical presentation of the subject matter. He is also known as a life-long anti-Christian polemicist, famously publishing his Teshuvot Lanotzrim [Responses to Christians]. A trace of the anti-Christian polemic can also be found in the offered book, the passage remarkably survived intact, while in other copies it was usually struck off by the censor: under the entry 'Elem' (l. 87a, bottom of third column), quoting his father, Kimchi derides the Christian assertion that the word 'almah' [a young girl] in Isaiah 7:14 refers to a virgin birth (parthenogenesis).
'Sefer HaShorashim is among the first printed Hebrew books, the first edition being among the undated books issued in Rome c. 1470, in addition to a second incunable edition (Naples, c. 1490)' Heller.
Fourth edition, blank title page variant; small folio (285 x 200 mm). Former owners signatures to opening leaf, including 'Saul David... Segal Ish Mortara'. Opening leaf margins professionally repaired, slight worming and some staining to a few leaves, edges stained red. Modern exquisitely blind-tooled calf boards, gilt title in English to spine, housed in a custom slip-case. 132 ll.
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