Rare! Siach Spunim on Song of Songs. First edition with Yiddish translation. The first Hebrew book printed in Iasi, 1843

Rare! Siach Spunim on Song of Songs. First edition with Yiddish translation. The first Hebrew book printed in Iasi, 1843
Sefer Siach Spunim, a commentary on Megillat Shir HaShirim, by Rabbi Eliezer ben Reuven Kahane of Karlin. Second edition of the work and the first to feature a Yiddish translation by Rabbi Aryeh Leib Brandeis. Printed by Moshe Selig Zimond and Yehuda Waxler. [39] leaves. Catalogued in the National Library’s Rare Books section.

This book seems likely the first Hebrew book printed in Iasi, in Romania. Approbation from Rabbi Yosef Landau, Av Beit Din of Iasi. From the approbation, it seems that the translator translated Siach Spunim on all five megillot, but they may not have survived. The title page includes an inscription with niqqud in Judeo-Romanian (unusual). On the back of the title page is an inscription in Yiddish: “Introduction to Yiddish exegesis” by the translator. At the end of the author’s introduction is a nice poem by him in praise of Hashem, in which he integrates the 10 Sfirot.

New binding, repairs to the title page, wear from use, lone worming damage (not significant). Overall good condition.