Keter Torah - Constantinople, 1536 - Soncino Printing Press - Lacking Copy

Keter Torah - Constantinople, 1536 - Soncino Printing Press - Lacking Copy
Keter Torah, the 613 mitzvot and seven rabbinic mitzvoth, by R. David Vital. Constantinople, 1536. Printed by Eliezer ben Gershom Soncino.
The author, Rabbi David Vital (exiled with the Spanish expulsion and rabbi in Italy, son-in-law of the Mahardach of Corfu) based his composition on a 620-word poem [the numerical value of the word Keter in Hebrew], with each word alluding to one of the 613 mitzvot or one of the seven rabbinic mitzvot. The acrostic is composed of the letters of the full version of the Ten Commandments. Most of the composition explains the references in the poem with laws and novellae on each mitzvah.
The book contains more poems written by the same author. Also printed are illustrations of "hands" for calculating the tekufot and an image of the innards of an animal [to illustrate the laws of treifot]. [106] leaves. Originally: [128] leaves. Lacking 22 leaves: [10-11, 36-39, 44-47, 52-59, 100-103]. 19 cm. Overall fair condition, some leaves in good condition. Stains and dampness traces, wear and tears to title page and to several leaves. The last 12 leaves are damaged by worming and have [restored] tears to the upper margins, affecting the text.
Bound at the beginning of the book: Sha'arei Binyamin on the Holy Tongue, by R. Binyamin Ze'ev Ashkenazi. [Zhovkva], [1752]. Lacking about 15 middle leaves. Half of the title page is lacking and there are open tears to several other leaves.
Contemporary binding, with leather spine [gilt embossments of the name of the book and a family's coat of arms], worn damaged binding.