Small and Rare sefer
"Here are the signs for all eight Hebrew verb structures."
Sabbioneta, 1554
A concise summary of the fundamentals of Hebrew grammar, authored by Rabbi Meir L’Beis Meir.
A small book – only four leaves – and extremely rare.
Almost nothing is known about the author,
Rabbi Meir L’Beis Meir ben Yair. It appears that he originated from Salonika, since in his work on the laws of shechita, which was also printed in Sabbioneta in the same year, he composed a poem about lungs deemed unkosher in accordance with the customs of Salonika.
It seems that he came to Italy to print his books, as there was no active printing press in Salonika at that time.
All verbs in the Hebrew language are categorized into seven structures. However, some of the early grammarians, foremost among them the Radak in his sefer ‘Michlol’, followed a division of eight structures, and the author adopted this approach. (See a summary of the views and disputes on this matter in ‘Mikneh Avraham’, Venice 1523, p. 66b-69b).
Printed without a title page.
The colophon at the end states:
"This concludes this work, which has been carefully researched, structured and compiled into a comprehensive book on the grammar of our sacred language, presented in an extraordinarily concise form… by the distinguished sage, Rabbi Meir L’Beis Meir ben Yair… Printed in Sabbioneta… in the year 1554."
Sabbioneta, 1554. First edition.
Page count: [4] leaves.
Size: 14.7 cm.
Condition: Good. Bound in a new half-leather binding.
Bibliography: A. Yaari, The Printers of the Foa Family, Mechkarei Sefer, p. 360, no. 13 (based on a copy from the Schocken Collection).
On the importance of Hebrew grammar, the Noda BiYehuda wrote in his approbation to ‘Sefer HaBachur’ (Prague 1789):
"Certainly, the study of grammar is of great necessity for prayer, to pray in a clearly articulated language, and also in the study of the Torah, to read properly… One should devote half an hour or an hour each day to Scripture and the study of dikduk."
