Sefer Midrash Shmuel. Venice 1579. Sefer Yesod to Masechet Avot. First Edition. Signatures and glosses. Printed ...

Sefer Midrash Shmuel. Venice 1579. Sefer Yesod to Masechet Avot. First Edition. Signatures and glosses. Printed during the author's lifetime.

Sefer Midrash Shmuel, commentary on Pirke Avot [with the inside and Rashi's commentary], by R' Shmuel de Uzeda.

Signed on title page by Rabbi Chaim Segre (See Otzar HaRabanim 6088), rabbi of Vercelli and Padua, and one of the greatest rabbis of Italy. R' Segre was the head of a dynasty of rabbis and bankers. In 1666 he was sent at the head of a delegation of rabbis from Italy, to investigate the ways of the false messiah Shabtai Zvi (Ghirondi, Toldot Gedolei Yisrael BeItalia, p. 107).

R' Shmuel de Uzeda (b. 1540) was a student of the Holy Ari and later of Rabbi Chaim Vital. He established a large yeshiva in Safed where they dealt with the "Torah and Kabbala". His work'Midrash Shmuel', in which he also brings quotes in the name of the Arizal, merited widespread acceptance as a fundamental commentary on Pirke Avot. It was printed three times during his lifetime. The copy before us is the first of these three editions.

Several owner's signatures on the title page, and a number of unidentified glosses inside the book.

Venice 1579. Giovanni di Gara.

265 leaves. 20 cm. Censor's marks. Elegant modern leather binding.

Otzar Hasefer Database No. 41887.