Poem: “Ashrei HaGoy Bachar Lo..”, poem mocking students who are not proficient in Bible and Talmud but learn Kabala, by Rabbi Yaakov Frances, copied by Rabbi Shimshon Kohen Modon of Mantua. Mantua, 1699.
[1] leaf. 40.5×29 cm. Italian script.
Poem by Yaakov Frances, prominent 17th century Italian poet. Written at the top [in Hebrew] ‘the poem from the sage…Yaakov Frances…about the unattractive people who don’t know and don’t understand and walk in darkness and go learn the secrets and wisdom of kabala’.
The poem was only printed a few times. This copy features significant variations. In addition to solitary text variations, some lines were omitted and switched for other ones. The scholarly edition of Yaakov Frances’ poems does not mention this variation.
On the reverse: Adi 7 Marzo 1699- Mantova. Modon. According to a later comment at the top of the page: כ”י החכם שמשון כהן מודון [manuscript of Shimshon Kohen Modon]. He was a Mantua sage, a disciple of Rabbi Yehuda Briel, and a poet and author of “Kol Mussar’ and other poetic and halachic works. Rabbi Shimshon Modon copied other works of Yaakov Frances in 1725 (Budapest manuscript 538).
Fold marks. Light tears to folds blemishing solitary letters. A few light aging stains. Fine condition.