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Mikhlol Yofi, R. Solomon ibn Melek, Amsterdam 1684

מכלל יופי - Fine copy in original vellum binding

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Details
  • Lot Number 52328
  • Title (English) Mikhlol Yofi
  • Title (Hebrew) מכלל יופי
  • Note Fine copy in original vellum binding
  • Author R. Solomon ibn Melek
  • City Amsterdam
  • Publisher David Tartas
  • Publication Date 1684
  • Estimated Price - Low 500
  • Estimated Price - High 1,000

  • Item # 2153161
  • End Date
  • Start Date
Description

Physical Description:

Third edition, revised. [4], 219, [1 marked 120] ff., 311:196 mm., extra wide crisp margins, light damp staining, stamps . A very good copy bound in contemporary full vellum over boards.

 

Detailed Description:   

Biblical commentary by R. Solomon ibn Melekh (16th cent.). The commentary is grammatical in content, covering the entire Bible. The title page has the frames from the Decachordum Christianum, which Moses Parnas acquired from Eliezer Soncino. The text states that the book is by:

the sage Solomon ibn Melekh ס"ט (Sephardi Tohor) with the verses and words on which that sage commented according to the order of the twenty-four books (Bible) from "In the beginning" (Genesis I: I) to "the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!" (II Chronicles 36:23), that is, the end of Chronicles, with punctuation and accents as necessary and with references to verses and comparable words, according to the order of the parshiot as sectioned by the sage, R. Mordecai Nathan, author of the book Me'ir Nativ, called Concordance in loaz (foreign languages) ....

The title page also informs that the book was printed at the press of Moses ben Eliezer Parnas, the doctor, beginning on 3 Tishrei, in the year, "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree שטה (5309 = Wednesday, September 15, 1548), and the myrtle, and the oil tree" (Isaiah 41: 19). The book was completed, according to the colophon, on "Thursday, 5 Elul, in the year 'I will plant ... the shittah שטה (5309 = September 8, 1549),' at the press of Moses of the house of Parnas נ"ע [may his soul be in paradise] by Hayyim ben Jacob Ashkenazi." From this it is clear that Parnas died between September 15, 1548 and September 8, 1549.

On the verso of the title page is ibn Melekh's introduction. The text is in two columns in square letters with marginal references. At the end of the book are verses from Solomon ben Mazzal Tov and R. Abraham ben Ephraim ibn Sangi in praise of the book. Ibn Melekh explains his primary purpose in the introduction, that is, when one reads in the Torah, Prophets, or Hagiographa (Writings), in Hebrew or in loaz, he should immediately understand the simple meaning in accordance with the grammar. Secondly, ibn Melekh will comment on the rules of grammar and on words that are exceptions to the rules, on the use of letters and words that are deficient (lacking) or have additional letters, or are changed, on the קרי (Masoretic reading) and the written forms, and on disagreements in the works of grammarians. He also remarks that there is nothing in the book that is from his heart, but all is from rishonim (early sages), particularly the Radak (David Kimhi), based on the edition of the Mikhlol published by Gershom Soncino.

Mikhlol Yofi is not a large book. Nevertheless, as can be seen from the beginning and completion dates, it took almost a complete year to print. In addition to possible delays caused by the death of Parnas, a more compelling reason as to why it took so long to complete, and it is the sole title printed in 1549 in Constantinople, is that, "in printing this book, in this difficult year, even the mighty weep over their expenses ... and I found a philanthropist in the Sephardic community י"צ [may their Rock watch over them] who advanced me most of the money necessary for printing, for otherwise it would have been impossible to complete the book this year." Mikhlol Yofi was reprinted in Amsterdam (1660 and 1684) and in Vienna (1818). A reported 1567 Salonika edition is questionable.

 

Hebrew Description:   

... עם לקט שכחה אשר הוסיף ... ר' יעקב אבנדנה ...

בשער הפרט: שנת למען ת'ה'י'ה' תורת ה' בפיך [ת"ך]. בשער הלועזי: 5421 [תכ"א]. שער נוסף: מכלל יופי Perfectio pulchritudinis ... דף ב: מכתב גלוי, בלאטינית, מאת יעקב אבנדנה אל המלומדים הנוצרים של המחוזות הבלגיים. עם השירים מהוצאת קושטנדינה ש"ט. נראה שיש טפסים שבהם חסרה בהסכמות חתימתו של Golius. עיין: Les Correspondants Juifs de Jean Buxtorf - REJ XII, 1886, pp. 273 ff.

הסכמות, בלאטינית: Abrahamus Heydanus, Allardus Uchtmannus, Jacobus Golius, Johannes Coccejus, Leyden 1660. - Johannes Buxtorfius, Basileae, 12 Martii 1660.

 

Reference Description:   

Heller, 16th Century Hebrew Book,; Bibliography of the Hebrew Book 1470-1960 #000106282; Fuks, Holland 482; BE1749