Bidspirit auction | Extremely Rare Miniature Sefer Tehillim

Extremely Rare Miniature Sefer Tehillim Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael  Amsterdam, 1635 * An early and rare miniature. A carefully proofread and accurate sefer Tehillim, printed by the renowned sage Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael in his own press in Amsterdam. Printed in a miniature format: 8.5 cm. A fine copy in its original binding! A rare edition. The sefer Tehillim was printed in two editions in the same year. In one (the present copy), lines in Latin were printed on the title page, and it contains 94 leaves. In the other, the lines in Latin lines were not printed, and it contains 90 leaves. All bibliographies list only the second edition – which is itself exceedingly rare. The only reference we found to the present edition is in Winograd (who does not mention the second edition!). On the final four leaves appear “Songs Found in the Five Books of the Torah” – Shiras HaYam and Shiras Ha’azinu. It appears that the intention of the sage Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael was to include with the songs of King David additional songs found in the Torah. Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael (1604-1657), one of the great sages of the Jewish people in the 17th century, was born in Portugal to a family of Anusim (forced converts). He moved with his parents to Amsterdam as a child, and at an early age began to teach Torah and strengthen the foundations of faith and religion among the descendants of the Anusim. One of his greatest achievements was the founding of the Hebrew printing press in Amsterdam in 1627, and with good reason, Rabbi Menashe is regarded as the father of the illustrious tradition of Hebrew printers in Amsterdam. Amsterdam, 1635. Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael Press. Page Count: 12, 12–13, 13–14, 17–94 leaves. Size: 8.5 cm. Condition: Fine copy, slightly trimmed at the lower margins. Gilt edges, original delicate leather binding showing minor rubbing.