Bidspirit auction | LEVITA, ELIJAH BACHUR.

LEVITA, ELIJAH BACHUR. - Sepher Tuv Ta’am [on cantillation points and grammatical accents] FIRST EDITION. pp. 35. Trace stained. Bound in Valmadonna-custom blind-tooled chestnut calf, spine in compartments and titled in gilt. Housed in fitted slip-case. Sm. 4to. Vinograd, Venice 155. Venice: Daniel Bomberg 1538 Levita here puts forth the theory that the Torah’s cantillation points (“trop”) were not Sinaitic but rather of post-Talmudic origin. This novel idea, which contradicted that stated in the Talmud (see TB Nedarim 37b and commentaries) became the subject of much controversy. See EJ, Vol. XI, col. 134. This work proved to be so popular that it was immediately republished in Basle, 1539.