Obj. ID: 38150
Jewish printed books  Kehonat Avraham by Avraham ben Shabbtai Hacohen, Venice, 1719

This text was prepared by William Gross:

Kehunat Avraham - Six Parts in One Volume - Venice, 1719 - Illustrated Title Pages - Signatures of R. Mordechai Shmuel Ghirondi Rabbi of Padua Kehunat Avraham, poetic commentary to the five books of Tehillim, with Eleh Bnei Ketura - The Song of Creation in rhyming verses, six parts, by R. Avraham son of Shabtai HaKohen of Zante (Zakynthos). Venice, [1719]. Seven title pages. Each of the six parts has its own title page. At the beginning of the book, a general title page for all parts of the book, featuring many illustrations. The title pages of the first five parts are illustrated with trumpet-bearing angels. Title page of Part I: Signature of R. Ben Tzion Ghirondi, and signatures of his son R. Mordechai Shmuel, who signed with his acronym: "HaGeSheM", and with his full signature: "Mordechai Shmuel son of my father, the wise and sage R. Ben Tzion Ghirondi". Another ownership inscription on the front endpaper: "For Avraham as possession, Avraham HaKohen of Głogów, Abraham Cohn - Posen" (author of Be'er Avraham, Poznań 1896). The preceding page contains rhyming verses in Italian script. R. Mordechai Shmuel Ghirondi (1799-1852), Rabbi of Padua, was a kabbalist, bibliographer, teacher in the rabbinical seminary of Padua and researcher of the biographies of Italian rabbis. He served as rabbi of Padua since 1831, for 21 years. He composed several books on Halacha and ethics, yet is renowned primarily for his book Toldot Gedolei Yisrael U’Geonei Italia (Trieste, 1853). One of the leading Torah scholars of his generation praised his eminence in Kabbalah: "I have never seen anyone proficient in Kabbalah like the Kabbalist R. Mordechai Shmuel… Ghirondi". His son, R. Efraim Refael Ghirondi, describes his father: "A father to the poor… humble like Hillel, brought back many from sin… very well-versed in responsa and Halacha, rabbis of his time posed halachic questions to him, and his wise responsa to them are written in his book of responsa named Kevutzat Kesef which remains in manuscript…".
Avraham ben Shabbtai's paraphrase of portions of Psalms in rhymed verse in various meters is yet another means by which the text of the Bible was made more accesible and endowed with increased meaning. It is representative of a long tradition of Herbrew poetry in Italy. Born in Crete in 1670, Avraham studied medicine and philosophyt at the University of Padua and practiced medicine in Zante in the Ionian islands. He died in 1729. It is thought that the author himself was responsible for the engravings throughout the book.
In 1550 Alvise Bragadin established a Hebrew press in Venice, thus ending a brief monopoly in Hebrew printing in Venice enjoyed by Guistiani (after the closing of the Bomberg press). This press continued as one of Venice’s leading Hebrew print-shops, issuing Hebrew titles in the 18th C under several generations of Bragadins (the last of whom was Alvise III). Throughout the years, the output of the Bragadini press was considerable, and covered the gamut of Hebrew works. The press was somewhat unusual, however, in that the Bragadins themselves did not always take an active role in their printing-house, leaving its operation to other printers, and lending their name to other presses.