Rabbenu Bachye – commentary on the Torah by Rabbenu Bachye son of Asher ibn Halawa. [Naples: Azriel son of Joseph (Gunzenhauser) Ashkenazi, 1492]. Incunabulum.
First edition, printed in the early years of Hebrew printing. Prototype for all the dozens of subsequent printed editions of this work.
Text of first page of the Book of Shemot and first page of the Book of Vayikra set in elaborate woodcut frames of dense foliage with peacocks, putti, horses, gazelles, and more. Decorated initial words.
The author, Bachye son of Asher ibn Halawa (1255-1340), was a Torah scholar of Gerona and prominent biblical commentator. Disciple of the Rashba. Rabbenu Bachye's commentary employs four methods of exegesis: pshat – based on biblical commentators who follow the pshat approach; drash – based on midrashim; logical analysis – based on philosophy; and kabbalah – a method he terms "the path of kabbalah" or "path of light", based on kabbalistic works, including passages parallel to teachings of the Zohar, which was not widespread at the time. Rabbenu Bachye's commentary is innovative in its combination of these four methods, and in the breadth of the kabbalah approach – expounding upon and clarifying kabbalistic concepts mentioned concisely in Ramban's commentary. Rabbenu Bachye's commentary quickly gained widespread acceptance, as the following testimonies indicate. The Tosafot Yom Tov writes that many would study it every single Shabbat, and R. Avraham Zacuto attested in Sefer Yuchasin that the book was renowned worldwide. Rabbenu Bachye is quoted repeatedly in the Tsena Rena, thus the book was evidently popular amongst the general public. Already before the end of the 16th century, the book had been printed in some ten editions, and over the years many more editions were issued.
Many glosses (some lengthy, most trimmed) by several writers (square, semi-cursive and cursive Sephardic script).

[270] leaves. Originally: [288] leaves. Lacking 18 leaves (including final blank leaf). Collation: ii6 (lacking gathering i and first two leaves of gathering ii), iii-ix8, x10, xi-xxviii8, xxix6 (lacking leaves 2 and 7), xxx-xxxv8 (lacking gathering xxxvi of 6 leaves, including final blank leaf). All lacking leaves replaced in photocopy. 26.5 cm. Fair condition. Many stains, including dark dampstains and traces of past dampness. Wear. Tears, including many open tears, affecting text, repaired with paper (with photocopy and handwritten text replacement in several places). Most leaves professionally restored. Margins of leaves with woodcut frames trimmed, with damage and loss to engravings. Marginal open tears to several leaves, repaired with paper. Worming affecting text, repaired with paper. Inscriptions. New leather binding.

An additional edition of this work was published concurrently (in 1492) in Spain or Portugal. Parts of it are extant, yet it is unclear if it was ever completed during the turbulent times of the Spanish expulsion.