Auction 60
Lot 5:
Sefer Kesef Nivchar, on Bereshit, Shemot and Vayikra, by Rabbi Yoshiyahu ben Yosef Pinto the Rif or Harav Hamusmach (see below). Single edition – the Press of the brothers Yitzchak and Yaakov the sons of Avraham Ashkenazi at the house of Avraham ben Matitya Bat Sheva – Damascus 1605 (according to the colophon, the year is1696). 124 leaves. In the National Library, the book appears in the collection of rare books. A warm approbation by his leading Rav Rabbi Yaakov Abulafia.
For printing the book, the author gathered the printing blocks and a printer from varied places and brought them to Damascus. Thus, this book merited being the only one that was printed in Damascus at that period of persecution.
The professionally photocopied title page is faithful to the original one, on ancient paper. New binding. Targeted moth damage. Stains. Restorations affecting the text of thee last section. Tears to the corner of two leaves at the beginning. Good general condition.
The author Rabbi Yoshiyahu ben Rabbi Yosef Pinto was one of the sages of Syria in the 17th century, a leading disciple of Rabbi Yaakov Abulafia who gave him his Semicha. The Chida called Rabbeinu several time "HaRav Hamusmach". Was the in-law of the great kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Vital and his nephew. Author of the Rif commentary on Ein Yaakov, Shut Nivchar Mikesef.
On the first leaf, an Oriental rhymed dedication: "הבוטח בחסד אל מי כמוך חסין, הצעיר יעקב קצין, יצ"ו".
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