First Press Printing in the Holy Land

Over the past (more than) 550 years, since the printing type-set (AKA Movable Type) method was used to produce and print books, most notably the Guttenberg Bible – printing books in Hebrew was a great desire of Jewish Authors! Until 447 years ago – there was no such ability in the Holy Land. However, on the 25th of Cheshvan 1577 (Yesterday's Hebrew Date) – a book named Koheleth Ya'akov (commentary & exposition) on the Book of Ecclesiastics, was printed in Safed (AKA TZFAT).

The State of Israel decided to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of this event on a stamp in 1977. There are Two reasons I am mentioning this special event in connection to my Stamp Bible (besides the fact that it happened yesterday, 447 years ago). First: it is a commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastics, written by Rabbi Moshe ben Mordechai Galanti, who is not commemorated on any other stamp in my "Rabbi" themed collection! And, Second, the press (or the Author, we will never know) continued a new tradition in noting/explaining what Year it was printed in according to our count from the Creation of Adam & Eve – with a verse (or a few words from a Biblical verse) and its Numerical value (AKA Gematria)!



At the bottom of the front page of the book, it says (free translation): "printed in the press (house) of the mighty & rich man, R' Avraham Ashkenazi YZV, with the assistance of R' Eliezer son of the Honourable Rabbi Yitzchak ZL. Today, Tuesday, 25th of Cheshvan in the year ChI QROVAH YESHU'ATI LAVO (Isaiah 56:1). With dots above the Hebrew letters whose Numerical Value shall be noted & counted – C(20)+I(10)+Q(100)+R(200)+O(6)+V(2) = 338 (5338)

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