Machberot Immanuel. Kushta, [1535]. Second revised edition

Machberot Immanuel. Kushta, [1535]. Second revised edition

One of the first Hebrew literary works that had a printed edition. An important classic work that was translated into many languages and about which many books and articles were written.

The work contains Divrei Mussar alongside jests and poems.

The work includes 28 'Machbarot' (maqāmas). The last and most renowned one, the 28th, Machberet Hatofet VeHaEden, describes the bitter postmortem fate of the sinners and the wicked.

The author- Immanuel ben Shlomo ben Yekutiel Hatzifroni, also known as Immanuel of Rome – Immanuel the Jew:  born in Rome in 1261 and passed away in 1330. Was a Jewish-Italian poet, author, linguist and Bible commentator. Was a famed contemporary sage, among Jews and non-Jews alike. The author was also famed for his commentary on the Bible, especially his commentary on Sefer Mishlei, which was praised by the Chida.

Written on the title page: reprinted proofread as much as possible and all its poems vowelized. The first edition was incunable, printed in Brescia in 1492 by Gershom Soncino, the father of the printer of this book. In his foreword to this edition, the son, the editor, writes about the errors in the first edition.

About the quality of this edition and the differences between it and the first one, see Chaim Brody's foreword to Machberot Immanuel, Berlin 1926, pp. 4-9, and Dov Yarden's foreword to his edition, Jerusalem 1957, p. 20.

On the title page of the book, there is handwritten notation in a foreign language. On its verso, varied Hebrew notations in ancient script.

On the second leaf there are 2 handwritten Sephardic signatures: Eliyahu ben Rabbi Avraham Mirkanda and Mordechai Zaparona.

Kushta, [1535]. Eliezer ben Gershom Soncino Press. Second revised edition.

[156] leaves. Approx. 20 cm. Very good condition. Aging stains. The last 3 leaves are restored. Quality paper. Fine new leather binding.

Yaari, Kushta 119.