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Bidding Information
Lot #    22611
Auction End Date    1/20/2009 10:52:30 AM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Mikhlol Yofi
Title (Hebrew)    מכלול יופי
Author    [Kabbalah - First Ed.] R. Elijah ben Moses Loanz
City    Amsterdam
Publisher    Hayyim ben Judah Leib
Publication Date    1695
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description		    First edition. [1], 33 ff. quarto 185:148 mm., old hands, nice margins, corners turned, light age staining. A very good copy bound in contemporary vellum over wood boards, rubbed and split.
          
Detailed
Description		    Commentary on Ecclesiastes by the kabbalist R. Elijah ben Moses Ashkenazi Loanz of Worms, (1564–1636. The title page states that “‘Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty (Mikhlol Yofi), God shines forth’ (Psalms 50:2). A marvelous commentary on Ecclesiastes, explained according to niglah (revealed Torah) and nistar (esoteric, Kabbalistic interpretations). “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet” (Malachi 3:23), a ‘heart of wisdom’ (Psalms 90:12). He explains, with fear of the lord, the wisdom of Solomon (Ecclesiastes) by the gaon, the pious Kabbalist R. Elijah Askhenazi Ba’al Shem. . . .” The title page continues that Loanz is the av bet din and rosh mesivta in Worms and that Mikhlol Yofi was printed at the press established by Hayyim ben Judah Leib of Pila. It is dated “give תנה (455 = 1695) your strength to your servant, [and save] the son of your maidservant’ (Psalms 86:16) Hadassah, who gave her life in sanctification of the name.” Fuks suggests that Hadassah, who died as a martyr, was likely a relative of the editor. He also quotes Steinschneider that it is unlikely Pila founded a print-shop, noting, unfavorably, his involvement in the Yiddish Bible printed by Uri Phoebus in 1676-79. Furthermore, the fonts in Mikhlol Yofi are like those used by Caspar Steen, for whom the compositor, Moses ha-Levi had previously worked. There are approbations from R. Jacob Sasportas and R. Judah ben Kalonymous, rabbis, respectively, of the Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities of Amsterdam, and a preface from Hayyim ben Judah Leib, here referred to as the editor. Next is Loanz’s introduction in which he informs that the book is entitled Mikhlol Yofi because it is words of reverence, reproof, and arousal for the soul, so that it should be for beauty (yofi) and a crown for the head. The text, in two columns, consists of Ecclesiastes in square unvocalized letters followed by the commentary in small rabbinic letters. The commentary is primarily homiletic, with kabbalistic content. At the end of the volume is an index of the contents.

R. Elijah ben Moses Loanz (1564–1636) was one of the outstanding kabbalists of Germany in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in Frankfurt on the Main, he was a grandson of R. Joseph Joselmann b. Gershom of Rosheim. His teachers included R. Akiva Frankfurter, R. Jacob Guenzberg of Friedberg, R. Judah Loew b. Bezalel of Prague, and R. Menahem Mendel b. Isaac of Cracow. Serving as rabbi in Fulda, Hanau, Friedberg, and Worms successively, he was also rosh yeshivah, preacher, and hazzan in Worms for a time. Because he was well known as a writer of kabbalistic amulets and incantations, early in his career he acquired the cognomen Elijah Ba'al Shem. Only one of his books, Rinnat Dodim, a kabbalistic commentary on the Song of Songs, was printed during his lifetime (Basle, 1600). Other published works are Vikku’ah ha-Yayin ve-ha-Mayim (Basle, 1599), a poetic dispute between wine and water as to their relative merits; Rinnat Dodim (Basle, 1600) on Song of Songs; and Adderet Eliyahu (Jerusalem, 1998) on the Zohar. Other works are extant in manuscript.
          
Paragraph 2    ... פירוש... על קהלת [עם הפנים] בנגלה ובנסתר... של... ר' אליה (בן... ר' משה זצ"ל ה"ה לואנץ) אשכנזי בעל ש"ם... ז"ל שהיה מקדם אב"ד ור"מ בק"ק ווערמיישא... בשנת ת'נ'"ה' עוזך לעבדך לבן אמתך הדסה הי"ד שמסרה נפשה על קדושת שמך

הסכמות: ר' יעקב ששפורטש, אמשטרדם, כז אייר תנ"ה; ר' משה יהודא ב"ר קלונימוס הכהן, אמשטרדם, כד אייר תנ"ה; ר' פתחיה ב"ר יוסף; ר' שמעון וואלף ב"ר משה יהודא ליווא מגזע אופנהיים, ד תרומה שצ"א; ר' שמעון ב"ר יעקב מעכב'.

          
Reference
Description		    Fuks II, p. 458 no. 636; Heller, 17th Cent.; CD-EPI 0304595
        
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Listing Classification
Period
17th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Holland:    Checked
  
Subject
Bible:    Checked
  
Kabbalah:    Checked
  
Characteristic
First Editions:    Checked
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
  
Kind of Judaica