Avkat Rochel – Rimini, 1526 – Printed by Gershom Soncino

Avkat Rochel – Rimini, 1526 – Printed by Gershom Soncino
Avkat Rochel, "many novellae and great secrets", selections regarding the End of Times, the wars in the days of Mashiach, the World to Come and resurrection of the dead, by R. Makhir son of Yitzchak Sar Chesed (disciple of R. Yehuda son of the Rosh). Rimini (Italy): [Gershom] Soncino, [1526].
This book was previously printed in Constantinople, 1516, yet in this edition it was redivided into three parts. The title page states that it was reprinted by the Soncino printers, who corrected what had been overlooked in the first edition.
Part I – "Ten signs of the wars of King Messiah" and midrashim regarding the End of Times. Part II – sections from the writings of R. Moshe de Leon (revealer of the Zohar), later printed in his book HaNefesh HaChachamah, Basel 1608 (in the Constantinople edition, this part was printed under the title "great secrets from kabbalists"; it was later printed under the title "Matok LaNefesh", in Venice 1607, and mistakenly attributed to R. Avraham Zacuto). Part III – composition on Laws Given to Moshe at Sinai.
The name of the printer – "Soncin", appears at the top of the title page. The year of printing includes a reference to the reign of Clement VII – "in the third year of Pope Clement".
Signatures and inscriptions on title page and other leaves.
[16] leaves. Lacking 2 leaves: leaf [9] and final leaf (end of poem and Soncino's printer's device on final page). 19.5 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Some words scraped off (for censorship purposes), partially replaced in handwriting. Small hole to title page, affecting border. Abrasions to title page. Inner margins of some leaves reinforced with paper. Old binding.
The Soncino family were prominent Hebrew printers in the 15th and 16th century, and particularly in the incunabula period. They established their first printing press in Soncino, Italy, ca. 1483, and later wandered through various Italian cities with their printing equipment, resuming their printing operations wherever they settled. One of the prominent members of this family was Gershom Soncino, printer of the present edition.
Rare edition, listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book based on the Schocken copy.