Physical Description:

First edition of commentary. quarto, 203:130 mm., wide margins, light age staining. A very good copy bound in modern boards.

Book was published and sold in parts from 1838-1840.

Detailed Description:   

The Kuzari was originally written in Arabic, and then translated into Hebrew by R. Judah Ibn Tibbon. The present volume contains a new commentary by Gideon (Gedaliah ben Eliezer) Brecher, and contains some of his correspondence with S. D. Luzzatto about this commentary. [The remainder is in Mendel Stern's "Kokebe Yizhak" (v. 28-34, vi. 95-100, vii. 77-80).] The commentary is modern in its tone; and in the preface Brecher openly states that he attempts to explain metaphysical questions in the light of modern philosophy, and he is not afraid to criticize axioms or formulas which were accepted at the time of the author of the "Kuzari," but were shaken or rejected by later researches. He also utters the opinion, bold for his time, that philosophy is the best check to religion, preventing it from degenerating into superstition and idolatry.

This second part contains an approbation by R. Tsvi Hirsch Pessel Mibaskovitz (Prossnitz, 1839). Brecher was an Austrian physician and author; born at Prossnitz, Moravia, Jan. 12, 1797; died there May 14, 1873. Brecher, who was the first Jew of Prossnitz to study for the medical or any other profession, attained the degree of master of surgery and obstetrics in Budapest in 1824, and the doctor's degree from the University of Erlangen in 1849, with the thesis "Das Transcendentale, Magie und Magische Heilarten im Talmud," Vienna, 1850. His fame in Jewish literature rests principally on this work and upon his lucid commentary on the "Kuzari" of Judah ha-Levi, which appeared with the text in four parts (Prague, 1838-1840).

In addition to many contributions to scientific and literary periodicals and collections, and some important "Gutachten" (expert opinions) on social and religious questions submitted to him by imperial and local government officials, Brecher is the author of a monograph on circumcision, "Die Beschneidung der Israeliten," etc., Vienna, 1845, with an introduction by R. Hirsch Fassel of Prossnitz, and an appendix on "Circumcision Among the Semitic Nations," by M. Steinschneider, who is a nephew of Brecher. Brecher also wrote "Die Unsterblichkeitslehre des Israelitischen Volkes," Vienna, 1857, of which a French translation appeared in the same year by Isidore Cahen; and "Eleh ha-Ketubim be-Shemot," a concordance of Biblical proper names, part of which was revised and published after his death by his son Adolph Brecher.

R. Judah Halevi was the greatest Hebrew poet of his time. Born in Toledo, the capital of Castile, Judah studied with the famous rabbinic scholar, Isaac Alfasi. In addition to mastering biblical Hebrew, Arabic and the intricacies of the Talmud, Judah explored the physical sciences, philosophy and metaphysics. He was especially proficient at writing poetry, and soon he attracted the attention of the great poet Moses Ibn Ezra. It wasn't long before his fame spread throughout the Jewish communities of Spain. Because Cordoba was the cultural capital of Spanish Jewry, Halevi migrated there. As he matured, Judah Halevi found his voice as Israel's sweetest singer. He left behind an abundance of synagogue liturgy and nationalistic poems. Since he lived at the time of the first crusade, Judah realized the plight of his people. In his most famous work, The Kuzari, Halevi foreshadowed the philosophy of Zionism and Jewish nationalism.

Hebrew Description:

... עם פירוש חדש... ממני גדלי' ברעכער... חלק א-ד.

מכתבי תהלה [הסכמות]: ר' חיים יוסף פאללאק, טרעביטש, ג שמות תקצ"ח; - חלק א ר' ברוך שענפעלד. - חלק א ר' צבי הרש פאסעל מבאסקאוויטץ, פראסניטץ, ג שבט תקצ"ט; - חלק ב שד"ל [שמואל דוד לוצאטו], פאדובה, כא אדר תקצ"ט [עם הערות על חלק א]; - חלק ב ר' ליב רייניץ, לייפניק, תשרי תקצ"ט. - חלק ד

חלק א: מאמר א-ב. תקצ"ח. טו, טו-פו דף. דף ד: שירא דאתאמר ליקרא די חכמת מרא ורבא גדלי' ברעכער ... מני... אפרים ישראל בר"ש בליכער. דף יא-טו: "מכתב רב חסדאי בן יצחק מ"כ למלך אלכזר" ו"תשובת יוסף המלך התוגרמי". חלק ב: מאמר ג. תקצ"ט. מח דף. חלק ג: מאמר ד. תקצ"ט. מו דף. חלק ד: מאמר ה. ת"ר. נו דף.