Ḥen ṭov

All notes by Chaim Meiselman: notes This is the second printing of the large volume of Ḥen Ṭov by Tobias ha-levi of Safed. The volume was first printed at Venice by Giovanni di Gara in 1605; this edition was clearly printed with the first one in sight, as the columns, headtype, and scattered ornaments are placed in a very similar style; the title also features an almost exact layout on both printings. The printer of this volume cycled between variations of letterforms, witnessed by the heading text changing from small to large Ashkenazic bold and back sporadically. The author was a student of Solomon Sagis at Safed, and often quotes his teacher; another figure quoted often is Isaac Luria of Safed (1532-1572), with all passages expounding in a heavily explanatory and sermonistic digression. The printer was Abraham Lemberger, known as Abraham of (i.e. hailing from) Heide; the name is likely a reference to Haid, a small town (today called Bor) then near Pilsen (today Plzeň in the Czech Republic). This printer operated in Judah Hakohen’s printing-house in Prague, and printed until 1628; see the entry in Steinschneider, idem., no. 8689 (in the printer’s indeces). The four-year timeline for the printing-date stem from the discrepancy of the title and colophon statements. The volume ends with a lengthy index to the work, organized first by Talmudic and Midrashic statements ("Mafteḥot divre hakhamim"; not cited but quoted and indexed) and following that indexed quotes of the Tanakh ("Mafteḥot miḳra’ei kodesh") organized in the order of the Torah books, Prophets, and Writings; each is indicated. references Zunz, Leopold, Zur Geschichte und Literatur (Berlin 1845), no. 206, p. 295-296. Steinschneider, M. Cat. librorum hebraeorum, #7306 (citing colophon date only). BM Hebrew, p. 758 Michael, Heiman Joseph, Ohr ha-Haim, Umfallendes Bibliographisches und Literar-Historisches Wörterbuch des Rabbinischen Schriftthums, no. 935, pp. 427 Strauss, Berthold, Cat. of the B. Strauss Library, no. 1985