Bidspirit auction | LEON, JACOB JUDAH (TEMPLO). Tavnith

LEON, JACOB JUDAH (TEMPLO). Tavnith Heichal - Libellus Effigiei Templi Salomanis. FIRST HEBREW EDITION. Separate Hebrew and Latin titles. Spanish dedication to the Parnassim of the Sephardic Congregation Talmud Torah of Amsterdam, followed by a Hebrew translation of the Privileges granted by the United Dutch Provinces. (Extended issue). ff. 6, (1), 4-38. Browned. Contemporary gilt-tooled calf, rubbed. Sm. 4to. Vinograd, Amsterdam 179 (unseen); Fuks, Amsterdam 266 (“there exist different copies with somewhat different contents and foliation.”) Amsterdam, Marcus Levi, 1650. Treatise on the exterior, interior and ritual objects of the Temple of Solomon. Ya’akov Yehudah Aryeh Leon Templo was born near Coimbra in 1602. Three years later his family fled Portugal for Amsterdam where they returned to the open practice of Judaism. Jacob studied for the rabbinate and served pulpits in Hamburg and then Middleburg. It was there he met the theologian and Millenarian Adam Boreel with whom he studied along with Menasseh ben Israel. It is suggested that under Boreel’s urging Leon was inspired to construct a model of Solomon’s Temple based upon the description of the Torah and later rabbinic writings. This accomplishment brought about intense interest throughout Europe - the name “Templo” subsequently added to the author’s surname.