Physical Description:

Only edition. 22 ff., octavo, 164:98 mm., wide margins, light age and damp staining. A very good copy bound in modern full leather over boards.

Blue paper edition - The first recorded mention of blue paper appeared in northern Italy in the year 1389. Only around one hundred years later, blue paper started to be used by Italian artists, and it's popularity for various purposes has continued over the following centuries. Blue paper provided a nuanced mid-tone which allowed the creation of strong light and dark contrasts, an effect much sought after by draftsmen. The first book printed on blue paper was published in 1514 in Venice by Aldus Manutius. Throughout the 16th century, blue papers occur in Venetian special book editions. Also, blue papers have been used as book covers, as end papers, and as decorative interleaving papers.

Detailed Description:   

"Sefer Tov ve-Yafeh," collection of poems on dogmatic, grammatical, and liturgical subjects. R. Judah Loeb Margolioth (1747–1811), a rabbi and preacher, was a grandson of R. Mordecai Jaffe. R. Margolioth was one of the precursors of the Haskalah in Eastern Europe. He was born in Zborov, Galicia, served as rabbi in was successively rabbi at Busnow, Szebrszyn, Polotsk, Lesla, and, from 1805, in Frankfort on the Oder. He was familiar with medieval and contemporary Hebrew scientific literature as well as with contemporary Haskalah literature. In his books of sermons, he emphasized social justice and criticized the rich. He opposed Hasidism but also objected to the study of philosophy which he regarded as undermining faith. Thus he criticized Mendelssohn for advocating freedom of ideas in Judaism in his book, Jerusalem, but advocated the study of Hebrew grammar, the sciences, and mathematics. He wrote Or Olam al Hokhmat ha-Teva ("Light of the World—On Science," Frankfort on the Oder, 1777). The main point of the book is the classification of the "wisdoms" into science, mathematics, physics, and metaphysics; and the art of leading men: politics, economics, and ethics. The book was well received and was enthusiastically praised by Russian and Polish rabbis. His other works include interpretations of the Torah, responsa, sermons, and linguistic studies. Margolioth's books give expression to the mood of Eastern European Jews in the early days of the Haskalah, and demonstrate the initial willingness among certain Orthodox elements to accept social reforms and even secular studies, but their disillusionment when they witnessed the radical results of Enlightenment. Some of thes titles are Korban Reshit," responsa and discussions on Rosh ha-Shanah (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1778); Tal Orot," treatises on the essence of the soul, on immortality, etc. (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1751); "Or 'Olam," treatises on natural philosophy, to which is appended Saadia Gaon's commentary on Canticles (ib. 1777); "Bet Middot," on ethics, in prose and verse (Dyhernfurth, 1778); "'Aze Eden," homilies on belief, philosophy, pride, and humility, with a criticism of Mendelssohn's "Jerusalem" (ib. 1802); "Amirah Ne'imah," on the Haggadah and the Pentateuch (in manuscript); "Iggeret ha-Melizah," on style (Novidvor, 1794). He was probably the first Judæo-Polish author to write on natural philosophy.

Hebrew Description:   

 ... מפתח בכמה חכמות ומליצות (בשלשה שערים... שער המלך מדבר בענין יחוד הבורא ... שער התורה בו יתוארו כל דיני שוא ויתד ותנוע’ ודיני קריאה מלעיל ומלרע ונסוג אחר. שער השלישי והוא שער התפלה... בענין התפלה ותועלתה)... חברו ... ר’ יהודא ליב בן... ר’ אשר זעליג מרגליות מזבארוב חתן... ר’ מאיר מטרנרודא...

מעבר לשער: מליצת החכם [ר’ יצחק אייזיק אויערבאך]... נודע בחבורו באר רחו[בות, זולצבאך ת"ץ]... ואחריו החזיק המדקדק בה"ס [בעל המחבר ספר] יד חיים [ר’ חיים שק, פראג תקי"ט]... לכבוד המחבר. המליצה הראשונה פותחת: ישמח צדיק חזות קשה הגיד. השנייה: ח’בור י’פה י’סד מ’אוד סיני עוקר הרים. המליצה הראשונה צוטטה כאן לכבוד המחבר על ידי ר’ חיים שק עם התוספת משלו.

נייר כחול.

References:  

Dinur, Be-Mifneh ha-Dorot (1955), 264–5; EJ; Fuenn, Keneset Yisrael, p. 413; Fürst, Bibl. Jud. ii. 328; JE; Klausner, Sifrut, 1 (1952), 85–86; Kressel, Leksikon, 2 (1967), 419; Mahler, History of the Jewish People in Modern Times, 4 pt. 1 (1956), 40–44; Steinschneider, C. B. no. 5740; Vin Nowy Dwor 76; Zeitlin, Bibl. Hebr. p. 229; Zinberg, Sifrut, 3 (1957), 290–1, 314–7;5 (1959), 137–40; Bibliography of the Hebrew Book 1470-1960 #000149358