Unique and rare: Kehunat Avraham—first (and only?) edition. Venice 1719. Partially missing copy.

Unique and rare: Kehunat Avraham—first (and only?) edition. Venice 1719. Partially missing copy.

Kehunat Avraham on Psalms: “a rhyming commentary on the Five Books of Psalms, poems…”. A unique work: stanzas of poetry on verses from the Book of Psalms. Each verse gets its own stanza. Divided into five books of Psalms with separate title pages. At the end of each is a “Minchat Bikkurim”, a poem integrating the chapter headings together, and “Pirchei Kehuna”—general chiddushim on each chapter.

By Rabbi Avraham ben Shabtai HaKohen. First edition (seemingly the only one), printed during the author’s lifetime. Catalogued as a rare book by the National Library and others.

“Chagigat Shira”—the seven first leaves have interesting approbations from Italian rabbis. Some are poetic, and also present is a reply from the author to them (also poetic). From them is evident the custom and culture of the period to rhyme greetings in friendship with one another with the greatest talent for joys and significant events.

New binding, [2], 8, 49, 30, 26, 64 leaves in the original—this copy ends on leaf 52 and does not include the chapter of poetry as in the original, nor the first two leaves at the beginning with special title pages and a portrait of the author (in most copies). Lone bits of tape, stains, overall good condition.