Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod: Kli Yakar. First

Sefer Yesod: Kli Yakar. First Edition. Venice, 1603. * A comprehensive commentary on Nevi’im Rishonim, including Yehoshua, Shoftim, Shmuel, and Melachim by Rabbi Shmuel Laniado, Av Beis Din of Aleppo. Rabbi Shmuel Laniado was one of the greatest commentators on Tanach, whose fundamental work includes all the words of early commentators, his original commentary, and the thoughts of contemporary scholars. As stated on the title page: “Whoever has this sefer in his possession, it is as though he holds a house filled with sefarim!” It is one of the most comprehensive works ever composed on Nevi’im Rishonim. Due to the great importance of this commentary, the dayan Rabbi Moshe Frankfurter included it in the well-known Mikraos Gedolos edition Kehillas Moshe (Amsterdam, 1724), and wrote of it: “This wise commentary of… Harav Shmuel Laniado includes the words of previous commentators, which he elaborates upon with his own clear intellect. He offers sharp yet clear explanations that uncover the true meaning of the Torah, building layer upon layer, expounding richly on every nuance, turning them into ideas more valuable than any treasure.” The volume itself is massive in scale: it contains over 1,120 printed pages! It is one of the largest Hebrew books printed up to that time. Many of its leaves are made of thin paper (at times astonishingly thin, as in leaf 460), produced by a special technique and likely commissioned specifically for this printing. This sefer is known as Kli Yakar on Nevi’im Rishonim, to distinguish it from the Kli Yakar on the Torah authored by Rabbi Ephraim Luntschitz, which appeared around the same time (Lublin, 1602). Rabbi Shmuel Laniado, known as the Baal HaKeilim (d. circa 1610) , was a member of the illustrious Laniado family and Chief Rabbi of Aleppo in the era of the Beis Yosef. Rabbi Shmuel was one of the premier commentators on Tanach, authoring the Kli Chemdah, Kli Yakar, and Kli Paz, and was therefore known as Baal HaKeilim. His commentary is unique in the sense that he offers both original interpretations along with citations from the greatest commentators among the Rishonim and contemporary scholars from his generation, primarily the sages of Tzfas, where he was raised, such as the Ramak, Maharam Alshich, and the Ari HaKadosh. Rabbi Yosef Karo expressed his esteem of Rabbi Shmuel in a letter to the community of Aleppo: “I have sent you a man who is like myself” (Likdoshim Asher Ba’aretz, letter 275). Venice, 1603. First edition. Page Count : [1], 3–564 leaves. Size : 28.4 cm. Condition : Light restorations to the first and last leaves; ink burn marks on the title page with slight loss to text; a single hole through dozens of leaves (far from the text); a few stains; otherwise in good condition. Impressive antique leather binding; spine restored, incorporating the original spine; new leather clasps. -------------------------- Signatures and Inscriptions An Ashkenazic signature on the title page from the early 18th century: “[Yaakov b…] Alexandri, zt”l, of Mertzbach, of Fürth.” This is likely a student and scribe of Rabbi Issachar Berman Frenkel Segal, author of Matteh Yissachar, who is known by this name. (See: Chapters in the History of the Jews in the Principality of Ansbach, Ramat Gan 1975, p. 53 and elsewhere). There is also an earlier Italian signature on the title page, partially damaged due to ink corrosion. There are ownership inscriptions on the front flyleaf belonging to Rabbi Yechezkel Segal [of Kassel?], as well as to the Rav, “author of Tiferes Yisrael, Av Beis Din of the holy community of Radzil.” Throughout the volume, short glosses in Italian script appear. On the rear flyleaf is a lengthy inscription describing a miraculous rescue from a fire, signed by Rabbi Aharon son of Reb Feivush Segal of Dessau, a teacher in the household of the aforementioned Rabbi Yechezkel.