LEVI BEN GERSHON (GERSONIDES /

LEVI BEN GERSHON (GERSONIDES /
RaLBa”G). Milchamoth Hashem [“Wars of the Lord”: philosophy]
FIRST EDITION. Title within ornamental border and featuring device of Cardinal Madrucci, the patron of the printing enterprise (see Amram pp. 296-97; Yaari, Hebrew Printers’ Marks, no. 28, facsimile of title in EJ, Vol. XI, col. 93).
ff. 75. Title remargined. Bound in Valmadonna-custom deep cherry morocco, spine in compartments, titled on spine in gilt. Housed in fitted slip-case. Folio. Vinograd, Riva di Trento 20.
Riva di Trento: Jacob Marcaria 1560
Levi ben Gershom (1288-1344), a native of Languedoc in the south of France, was a polymath, excelling in the fields of Biblical exegesis, philosophy, mathematics and astronomy and was likely the last distinguished Aristotelian not only in the Jewish world, but in all of Medieval Europe.===Milchamoth Hashem analyzes philosophical matters pertaining to the immortality of the Soul, the nature of prophecy, Divine omniscience and providence, the nature of the heavenly spheres and the question of the eternity of matter.===For an analysis of Gersonides’ inquires found in Milchamoth Hashem alongside a critical comparison to Aristotle’s beliefs, see I. Zinberg, A History of Jewish Literature, Vol. III, pp. 129-39; see also G. Freudenthal (Ed.) Studies on Gersonides: A Fourteenth-Century Jewish Philosopher-Scientist (Brill).