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False edition of Perush al ha-Mesorah by R. Jacob David ben Isaac Zausmer. The title page clearly states the place of printing as Amsterdam and is dated, with a chronogram, as 1731. On the verso of the title page are approbations from R. Yom Tov Lipmann ha-Levi Heller (1579–1654) and R. Eliezer ben Samuel of Apta. Next is an introduction from the author. The text is in a single column in rabbinic type, except for headers and initial words which are in square letters. Perush al ha-Mesorah is an elucidation of Masoretic problems and forms a supplement to the Sha’ar Shivre Luhot of Elijah Levita’s Massoret ha-Massoret.
R. Jacob David ben Isaac Zausmer was a Polish Masorite of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He served as rabbi of Zausmer, near Cracow, and died before 1644. In addition to Perush ha-Massorah R. Zausmer was also the author Ta’ame ha-Massorah (Lublin, 1616) a commentary on the Masorah.
Perush al ha-Mesorah has proven to be a popular and important work in the field, going through several editions. Vinograd records Lublin, three Amsterdam, Halle, Sulzbach, and a Lemberg edition. The three Amsterdam editions (1649, 1650, and 1703) do not correspond to this edition. Furthermore, the inside cover has an ink notation that states “according to Mehlman the book was printed in Zolkiew in 1731.” Israel Mehlman was a bibliophile and highly regarded scholar of the Hebrew book. His opinions are generally considered authoritative. Unfortunately, his reasons for attributing this edition of Perush al ha-Mesorah to Zolkiew are unknown. With the exception of the JNUL Bibliographic Project, which reflects Mehlman’s influence, this edition, whether Zolkiew or Amsterdam, is not recorded in bibliographic sources.
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