Bidspirit auction | Giluy Haketz Polemic: Sefer Chazon

Giluy Haketz Polemic: Sefer Chazon Lamo'ed - Di Gara Press Venice, 1685 - Sefer Chazon Lamo'ed, commentary on Sefer Daniel by Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yehuda Valerio, one of the sages of Greece in the generation after the Expulsion from Spain. Venice, 1586. First and only edition. Rare copy.  This unique work is one of the imporatnt commentary books on Sefer Daniel. It deals with Daniel's visions, the secrets of prophecy, the course of the Ge'ulah and an elucidation on the words of the Prophets on Acharit hayamim. By an almost unknown Greek Sage.  The uniqueness of the book lies in its bold occupation with Giluy Haketz. The author explains the verses of the Ketz of Sefer Daniel and calculates the time of Ge'ulah to 1878, about three hundred years after the book was written. Yet, Rabbi Shmuel Valerio himself was aware of the danger inherent in publishing Chishuvei Ketz and raises the possiblity that the Ketz might be delayed. He writes:  ”ואם כה תאמר כי יש בהכתב והמכתב הזה מהסכנה... ובהגיע תור הזמן ההוא ולא יבוא יתיאשו מן המשיח וכאלו נתתי מכשול לפני בני עמנו” (leaf 110b).  The book was printed in Venice in 1586 at the printery of Giovanni di Gara, one of the most important Hebrew printeries that operated in the golden era of the Hebrew press in Venice. Di Gara is considered one of the glorious successors of the Hebrew printers such as Daniel Bomberg and even used some of the famed Bomberg fonts, which gave his books their impressive typographic visuals.  This copy is espeically well-preserved and impressive, printed on bright quality Italian paper with fine margins. There are no moth perforations nor tears typical of books more than four hundred years old. The book is bound in a fine old leather binding which protected it over the years.  6, 112 leaves. 21 cm. Quality Italian paper.  Good overall condition. Stains and minor blemishes.  *** Rabbi Shmuel Valerio operated in Italy and Greece in the 16th century. Author of Yad Hamelech on Megillat Ester. His work Chazon Lamoed is referred to by late Rabbinic literature; the book Arzei Halevanon refers to the book to explain the custom of reading Sefer Daniel in the synagogue on the Sabbaths between Parashat VaEtchanan and Parashat Shoftim:  ”וראה הסברו של ר' שמואל ואליריאו למנהג בספרו חזון למועד, ויניציאה שמ”ו, דף ה' ע”ב”.