Bidspirit auction | Mikhlal Yofi. Amsterdam, [1660–1661]

Mikhlal Yofi. Amsterdam, [1660–1661] - An important and early foundational work in the study of Biblical Hebrew grammar and philology. Mikhlal Yofi is a comprehensive commentary on difficult words in the Torah by Rabbi Solomon ben Melech. This edition includes the supplementary work Leket Shikheḥah by Rabbi Jacob Abendana, containing additions and expansions to the original text. The book ranks among the most significant grammatical works on the Hebrew Bible and was used not only by Jewish scholars but also by Christian Hebraists of the period. Accordingly, it includes title pages and approbations in Latin, attesting to its wide circulation and scholarly standing in the seventeenth century. At the beginning of the volume appears an open letter in Latin by Rabbi Jacob Abendana addressed to Christian scholars in Belgium, presenting the aims and importance of the work. This letter, together with the Latin approbations, highlights the book’s unique role as an intellectual bridge between Jewish learning and the broader world of early modern scholarship. The work was first printed in 5309 [1549], and in the present Amsterdam edition the additions titled Leket Shikheḥah were incorporated, enriching and deepening the linguistic discussion. Collation: [3], 219 leaves. 31 cm. With Hebrew title page and additional title pages and sections in Latin. Condition: Good. A few wormholes. Magnificent early vellum binding, with a defect to the spine. A key work in Biblical grammar and linguistic exegesis, of considerable historical and scholarly importance, offered here in a substantial and impressive early edition—highly desirable for collectors and research libraries.