Physical Description:

54 ff., octavo, 165:105 mm., nice margins, age and use staining. A good copy loose in contemporary boards, rubbed and split.

Detailed Description:   

Ethical work based on animal tales translated from the late 10th century encyclopedic Arabic work Rasa'il ikhwan as-saja' wa khillan al-waja' (Epistles of the Brethren of Purity and Loyal Friends) by R. Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (c. 1 286-c. 1328). The portion from which Iggeret Ba'alei Hayyim is taken appears at the end of the 25th book of a total of 52 volumes (pamphlets) of this eclectic work on philosophy, religion, mathematics, logic, and music, prepared by the Brethren of Purity, a secret Arab confraternity which flourished in Basra, Iraq in the second half of the tenth century. The tales themselves have an Indian OrIgm.

The title page has an architectural frame. The text states that it is Iggeret Ba'alei Hayyim. " , [He] opens (his] mouth with wisdom' (ref. Proverbs 31 :26). Man, animal, wild beast, bird, and every crawling thing, all that is under the sun .... " The colophon informs that the translation was finished in the seventy-sixth year of the sixth millennium (1316) and that printing was completed on Rosh Hodesh Iyyar, 317 (Thursday, April 11, 1557), at the press of Messer Venturin Ruffinelli. On the verso of the title page is a preface from the editor, R. Joseph ben Jacob [Shalit] of Padua; followed by R. Kalonymus's introduction, where he informs that he translated the book in seven days, and, after his prefatory remarks, addresses the purpose the book; an index of the contents prepared by the edi­tor; and the text, which is divided into five she'arim, further subdivided into chapters. After the colophon is Joseph ben Jacob's printer's mark, a peacock standing on three rocks fac­ing left. The book concludes with verse from Ibn Ezra. The text is in a single column in rabbinic letters, excluding headings, which are in square letters. Initial words begin with an ornamental letter. There are no illustrations.

The story centers about survivors of a shipwreck, representative of the various nations, who are able to swim to a nearby island of demons (ghosts) ruled by a just king. The men establish rule over local animals who rebel and bring their case to the king. He inquires as to the right of the men to have domain over the animals. In the ensuing dis­cussion the human case is presented by representatives of all the nations who discuss the achievements and contributions of their nations. The Jewish representative, whose impor­tance is here greatly enhanced by R. Kalonymus, discusses Torah and prayer. Human accom­plishments are criticized by various animals, who contrast their industriousness and diligence. The arguments, presented in a clear and lucid style, are varied, covering a wide range of subjects and disciplines. At the end, a philosopher states the purpose of man, to serve God and to achieve a life of holiness and excellence, as realized by ascetics and prophets. This carries the day for man, silencing the animals. Popular in the middle ages, this is the first printed edition. Iggeret Ba'alei Hayyim ·was not reprinted until 1704 (Frankfort a. M.), but was subsequently frequently reprinted, includ­ing in Yiddish and Ladino editions. This is, excluding the 1959 Jerusalem edition, the only edition with ibn Ezra's verse.

Hebrew Description:

CD-NLI 0164265