Derech Emunah. Constantinople, 1522.

Derech Emunah. Constantinople, 1522.

Exceedingly Rare.  First edition. Lunzer Collection.

The book, Derech Emunah, is comprised of philosophical studies on matters of faith. Authored by Rabbi Avraham son of Rabbi Shem Tov Ben Bivgi. 

Numerous handwritten corrections, penned in ancient, oriental script dating back to the time of the book’s printing.

On the final page appears a colophon: “This book was completed to print Cheshvan 5282”.

The sage Rabbi Avraham Bibago: one of the sages of Spain in the generation before the Expulsion. He served as head of a Yeshiva in Saragoza in northeastern Spain. Known in his generation as a great preacher, he would bring his contemporaries closer to the Torah and the observance of the mitzvot in his sermons, and debated with Christians on religious matters. Rav Bibago defended the faith of Israel and once a public debate was held with him and a Christian sage before King Yohan II of Aragon. Most of his essays remain in manuscript.

This copy originates from the Valmadonna Trust Library: this library contained a collection of approximately 13,000 printed books and manuscripts in Hebrew and the Hebrew language, and was established in the 1950s by Yaakov Luntzer. The bulk of this collection was sold by the trustees in January 2017 to the National Library of Israel.

This Valmadonna Trust Library is named after Valmadonna, a small town near Alessandria in northwestern Italy that has long-standing ties to the Lunzer family. The collection contains compositions from all over the world, especially from Italy, "the cradle of Hebrew printing". Many items in the collection are rare or unique and many of them date back to the beginning of Hebrew printing.

[106] leaves. 26.5 cm. Good condition, varies. Title page restored: original printed title intact, surrounding page reconstructed. Light staining and slight damage. The final leaf has damage that has been repaired. Beautiful binding.