Jacob Emden, also known as Ya'avetz (June 4, 1697 April 19, 1776), was a leading German
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
and
talmudist
The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the center ...
who championed Orthodox Judaism in the face of the growing influence of the
Sabbatean movement. He was acclaimed in all circles for his extensive knowledge.
Emden was the son of the
hakham
''Hakham'' (or ''chakam(i), haham(i), hacham(i)''; he, חכם ', "wise") is a term in Judaism, meaning a wise or skillful man; it often refers to someone who is a great Torah scholar. It can also refer to any cultured and learned person: "He ...
Tzvi Ashkenazi
Tzvi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenazi ( he, צבי אשכנזי; 1656 – May 2, 1718), known as the Chacham Tzvi after his responsa by the same title, served for some time as rabbi of Amsterdam. He was a resolute opponent of the followers of the fals ...
, and a descendant of
Elijah Ba'al Shem of Chełm. He lived most his life in
Altona (now a part of
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, Germany), where he held no official rabbinic position and earned a living by printing books.
His son was
Meshullam Solomon
Israel Meshullam Solomon (1723–1794), born as Israel Meshullam Zalman Emden in Altona near Hamburg, was one of two rival Chief Rabbis of the United Kingdom and the rabbi of the Hambro' Synagogue. Solomon claimed authority as Chief Rabbi of t ...
, rabbi of the Hambro Synagogue in London who claimed authority as Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1765 to 1780.
The acronym Ya'avetz (also written Yaavetz) stands for the words Yaakov
(Emden) ben Tzvi (his father's name) (Hebrew: יעקב (עמדין) בן צבי - יעב"ץ).
Seven of his
31 works were published posthumously.
Biography
Jacob Emden (born Ashkenazi) was the 5th of his father's 15 children.
Until the age of seventeen, Emden studied Talmud under his father
Tzvi Ashkenazi
Tzvi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenazi ( he, צבי אשכנזי; 1656 – May 2, 1718), known as the Chacham Tzvi after his responsa by the same title, served for some time as rabbi of Amsterdam. He was a resolute opponent of the followers of the fals ...
, a foremost rabbinic authority, first at Altona, then at
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
(1710–1714). In 1715 Emden married Rachel, daughter of
Mordecai ben Naphtali Kohen, rabbi of
Ungarisch-Brod,
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The me ...
(the modern Czech Republic), and continued his studies in his father-in-law's ''
yeshivah
A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are stud ...
''.
[Solomon Schechter, M. Seligsohn]
Emden, Jacob Israel ben Zebi
''Jewish Encyclopedia
''The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day'' is an English-language encyclopedia containing over 15,000 articles on th ...
'' (1906). Emden became well versed in all branches of Talmudic literature; later he studied philosophy,
kabbalah
Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...
, and
grammar
In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structure, structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clause (linguistics), clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraint ...
, and made an effort to acquire the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
and
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
languages, in which, however, he was seriously hindered by his belief that a Jew should occupy himself with secular sciences only during times it was impossible to study
Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
.
Career
Emden spent three years at Ungarisch-Brod, where he held the office of private lecturer in Talmud. Later he became a dealer in jewelry and other articles, an occupation which compelled him to travel.
He generally declined to accept the office of rabbi, though in 1728 he was induced to accept the rabbinate of
Emden
Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528.
History
The exact founding date of E ...
, from which place he took his name.
He returned to Altona in, where he obtained permission from the Jewish community to possess a private synagogue. Emden was at first on friendly terms with
Moses Hagis, the head of the
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
-Jewish community at Altona, who was afterward turned against Emden by some calumny. His relations with
Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen ben Abraham (born in Lithuania about 1670; died at Altona, 9 July 1749) was a Polish-German rabbi.
At first rabbi at Kėdainiai (Keidani), Katzenellenbogen was called to Altona in 1714. This call he owed to the efforts of ...
, the chief rabbi of the German community, were positive at first, but deteriorated swiftly.
A few years later Emden obtained from the
King of Denmark
The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional political system, institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous administrative division, autonomous territories of the Faroe ...
the privilege of establishing at Altona a printing-press. He was soon attacked for his publication of the ''
siddur
A siddur ( he, סִדּוּר ; plural siddurim ) is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word comes from the Hebrew root , meaning 'order.'
Other terms for prayer books are ''tefillot'' () among Sephardi Jews, ' ...
'' (prayer book) ''Ammudei Shamayim'', due to his harsh criticisms of the powerful local money changers. His opponents did not cease denouncing him even after he had obtained for his work the approbation of the chief rabbi of the German communities.
According to
Jacob Katz Jacob Katz (Hebrew: יעקב כ"ץ) (born 15 November 1904 in Magyargencs, Hungary, died 20 May 1998 in Israel) was an internationally known Jewish historian and educator, recognized as "one of this century's greatest and most influential historian ...
, "Rabbi Jacob Emden: Life and Major Works" (
Jacob J. Schacter
Jacob J. Schacter (born 1950) is an American Orthodox rabbi. Schacter, a historian of intellectual trends in Orthodox Judaism, is University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought and Senior Scholar at the Center for the Jewish Future at ...
, unpublished PhD dissertation, Harvard University, 1988), "supplanted"
Mortimer J. Cohen's 1937 book ''Jacob Emden: A Man of Controversy, '' as the most authoritative source on Emden.
Ya'a'vetz pen name
In the preface to his ''She'I'Las Yaavetz'', Emden describes how, as a child, he asked his father, the Chacham Tzvi, why he signed his name as simply Tzvi צבי, without his father's name (בן יעקב). The father said that Tzvi stands for Tzvi ben Yaakov צבי בן יעקב, and that when the son grows up, and writes books, he should sign Ya'avetz יעב"ץ . The Yud Ayyin combination of Yaavetz would stand for Yaakov (rather than Yosef, or Yehuda), and the remaining two letters representing ben Tzvi : קב ן בי.
The name Yaavetz appears in as the name of a place, and in as a person's name.
Sabbatean controversy
Emden accused
Jonathan Eybeschütz
Rav Yonatan Eybeschütz (רבי יהונתן אייבשיץ) (also Eibeschutz or Eibeschitz; 1690 1764) was a Talmudist, Halachist, Kabbalist, holding positions as Dayan of Prague, and later as Rabbi of the "Three Communities": Altona, Hambur ...
of being a secret
Sabbatean
The Sabbateans (or Sabbatians) were a variety of Jewish followers, disciples, and believers in Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676),
a Sephardic Jewish rabbi and Kabbalist who was proclaimed to be the Jewish Messiah in 1666 by Nathan of Gaza.
Vast ...
. The controversy lasted several years, continuing even after Eybeschütz's death. Emden's assertion of Eybeschütz's
heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...
was chiefly based on the interpretation of some
amulet
An amulet, also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word amuletum, which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protects ...
s prepared by Eybeschütz, in which Emden saw Sabbatean allusions. Hostilities began before Eybeschütz left
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, and in 1751, when Eybeschütz was named chief rabbi of the three communities of Altona,
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, and
Wandsbek
Wandsbek () is the second-largest of seven Boroughs and quarters of Hamburg#Boroughs, boroughs that make up the city and state of Hamburg, Germany. The name of the district is derived from the river Wandse which passes through here. Hamburg-Wandsb ...
, the controversy reached the stage of intense and bitter antagonism. Emden maintained that he was at first prevented by threats from publishing anything against Eybeschütz. He solemnly declared in his synagogue the writer of the amulets to be a Sabbatean heretic and deserving of
excommunication
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
.
In
''Megillat Sefer'', he even accuses Eybeschütz of having an incestuous relationship with his own daughter, and of fathering a child with her. However, there have been allegations that ''Megillat Sefer'' was tampered with, and had deliberately ridiculous accusations, as well as outlandish tales, written in to the original in order to make a mockery of Emden.
Clashes between opposing supporters occurred in the streets drawing the attention of the secular authorities. The majority of the community, including
R. Aryeh Leib Halevi-Epstein Aryeh Löb ben Mordecai Ha-Levi Epstein (''Ba'al ha-Pardes'') (1708 – June 26, 1775) was a Jews of Poland, Polish rabbi born in Grodno. At first he refused to become a rabbi, preferring to devote himself entirely to study, but in 1739 he was for ...
of Konigsberg, favored Eybeschütz; thus the council condemned Emden as a slanderer. People were ordered, under pain of excommunication, not to attend Emden's synagogue, and he himself was forbidden to issue anything from his press. As Emden still continued his philippics against Eybeschütz, he was ordered by the council of the three communities to leave Altona. This he refused to do, relying on the strength of the king's charter, and he was, as he maintained, relentlessly persecuted. His life seeming to be in actual danger, in May 1751 he left the town and took refuge in Amsterdam, where he had many friends and where he joined the household of his brother-in-law,
Aryeh Leib ben Saul
Aryeh Leib ben Saul Löwenstam ( 1690 in Cracow – 2 April 1755 in Amsterdam) was a Polish rabbi.
Life
Aryeh Leib came of a famous family of rabbis. His father Saul had been rabbi of Cracow from 1700 to 1704; his grandfather was Rabbi Hoeschl ...
, rabbi of the
Ashkenazic
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
community.
The controversy was heard by both the Senate of Hamburg and by the Royal Court of Denmark. The Hamburg Senate quickly found in favour of Eybeschütz. King
Frederick V of Denmark
Frederick V (Danish and Norwegian: ''Frederik V''; 31 March 1723 – 14 January 1766) was King of Denmark–Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 6 August 1746 until his death in 1766. He was the son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophie Ma ...
asked Eybeschütz to answer a number of questions about the amulets. Conflicting testimony was put forward and the matter remained officially unresolved although the court sentenced the council of the three communities to pay a fine of one hundred
thaler
A thaler (; also taler, from german: Taler) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period. A ''thaler'' size silver coin has a diameter of ...
for civil unrest and ordered that Emden be allowed to return to Altona.
Emden then returned to Altona and took possession of his synagogue and printing-establishment, though he was forbidden to continue his agitation against Eybeschütz. The latter's partisans, however, did not desist from their warfare against Emden. They accused him before the authorities of continuing to publish denunciations against his opponent. One Friday evening (July 8, 1755) his house was broken into and his papers seized and turned over to the "Ober-Präsident" (royally imposed mayor), . Six months later von Qualen appointed a commission of three scholars, who, after a close examination, found nothing which could incriminate Emden. Eyebeschutz was re-elected as Chief Rabbi. In December of that year, the Hamburg Senate rejected both the King's decision and the election result. The
Senate of Hamburg
The government of Hamburg is divided into executive, legislative and judicial branches. Hamburg is a city-state and municipality, and thus its governance deals with several details of both state and local community politics. It takes place in two ...
started an intricate process to determine the powers of Eybeschütz, as Chief Rabbi
The truth or falsity of his denunciations against Eybeschütz cannot be proved;
Gershom Scholem
Gershom Scholem () (5 December 1897 – 21 February 1982), was a German-born Israeli philosopher and historian. Widely regarded as the founder of modern academic study of the Kaballah, Scholem was appointed the first professor of Jewish Mystici ...
wrote much on this subject, and his student Perlmutter devoted a book to proving it. According to historian David Sorkin, Eybeschütz was probably a Sabbatean, and Eybeschütz's son openly declared himself to be a Sabbatean after his father's death. There is further background which suggests that Eybeschutz may have been a Sabbatean. In July 1725, the Ashkenazic beit din of Amsterdam issued a ban of excommunication on the entire Sabbatean sect (kat ha-ma’aminim) based partially on the discovery of certain Sabbatean writings by it. Rabbi Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen, the chief rabbi of the Three Communities was unwilling to attack Eybeschütz publicly, but stated that one of the Sabbatean texts found by the Amsterdam beit din "Va-Avo ha-Yom el ha-Ayyin” was authored by Eybeschütz and declared that the all copies of the work that were in circulation should be immediately burned. The recent discovery in Metz of notarial copies of the disputed amulets written by Eyebeschutz support Emden's view that these are Sabbatean writings.
Other notable events
![Jacobemdenkingdenmark](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Jacobemdenkingdenmark.jpg)
In 1756 the members of the
Synod of Constantinov
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word mean ...
applied to Emden to aid in repressing the Sabbatean movement. As the Sabbateans referred much to the
Zohar
The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...
, Emden thought it wise to examine that book, and after a careful study he concluded that a great part of the Zohar was the production of an impostor.
Emden's works show him to have been possessed of critical powers rarely found among his contemporaries. He was strictly Orthodox, never deviating the least from tradition, even when the difference in time and circumstance might have warranted a deviation from custom. Emden's opinions were often viewed as extremely unconventional from the perspective of strictly traditional mainstream Judaism, though not so unusual in more free-thinking Enlightenment circles. Emden had friendly relations with
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn (6 September 1729 – 4 January 1786) was a German-Jewish philosopher and theologian. His writings and ideas on Jews and the Jewish religion and identity were a central element in the development of the ''Haskalah'', or 'Je ...
, founder of the
Haskalah
The ''Haskalah'', often termed Jewish Enlightenment ( he, השכלה; literally, "wisdom", "erudition" or "education"), was an intellectual movement among the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe, with a certain influence on those in Western Euro ...
movement, and with a number of Christian scholars.
In 1772
Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, house =House of Mecklenburg
, father =Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, mother =Duchess Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, birth_date =
, birth_place =Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, death_date ...
, having issued a decree forbidding burial on the day of death, the Jews in his territories approached Emden with the request that he demonstrate from the Talmud that a longer exposure of a corpse would be against the Law. Emden referred them to Mendelssohn, who had great influence with Christian authorities and wrote in excellent German. Mendelssohn wrote the requested letter to the Duke, but privately complained to Emden that based on the Talmud, it seemed the Duke was correct. Emden wrote to him in strong terms, saying that it was ludicrous to assert that the custom of the entire Jewish people was blatantly incorrect, and told Mendelssohn that this kind of claim would only strengthen rumors of irreligiousness he (Mendelssohn) had aroused by his associations.
Views
Emden was a traditionalist who responded to the ideals of tolerance being circulated during the 18th-century
Enlightenment. He stretched the traditional inclusivist position into universal directions.
Like Maimonides, he believed that
monotheistic faiths have an important roles to play in God's plan for mankind, writing that "we should consider Christians and Muslims as instruments for the fulfilment of the prophecy that the knowledge of God will one day spread throughout the earth." Emden praised the ethical teachings of Christianity, considering them beneficial in removing the prevalence of idolatry and bestowing gentiles with a "moral doctrine".
[Falk, Harvey.]
Rabbi Jacob Emden's Views on Christianity
''Journal of Ecumenical Studies'', Volume 19, no. 1 (Winter 1982), pp. 105–11. Emden also suggested that ascetic Christian practices provided additional rectification of the soul in the same way that Judaic commandments do.
He theoretically advocated the taking of a
concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
by a scholar since the sages of the Talmud stated "the greater the man, the greater his
evil inclination" and cited many sources in support. He also suggested it might be permissible under certain circumstances for a Jewish man to cohabit with a single Jewish woman, provided that she is in an exclusive relationship with him that is public knowledge and where she would not be embarrassed to
ritually immerse. He also wished to revoke the ban on
polygamy
Crimes
Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married ...
instituted by
Rabbeinu Gershom
Gershom ben Judah, (c. 960 -1040) best known as Rabbeinu Gershom ( he, רבנו גרשום, "Our teacher Gershom") and also commonly known to scholars of Judaism by the title ''Rabbeinu Gershom Me'Or Hagolah'' ("Our teacher Gershom the light of the ...
believing it erroneously followed Christian morals, although he admitted he lacked the power to do so.
Emden wrote that he owned books containing secular wisdom written in Hebrew, but that he would read them in the bathroom. He was opposed to philosophy and maintained that the views contained in ''
The Guide for the Perplexed
''The Guide for the Perplexed'' ( ar, دلالة الحائرين, Dalālat al-ḥā'irīn, ; he, מורה נבוכים, Moreh Nevukhim) is a work of Jewish theology by Maimonides. It seeks to reconcile Aristotelianism with Rabbinical Jewish the ...
'' could not have been authored by
Maimonides
Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
, but rather by an unknown heretic.
Published works
![Seforim of Yaavetz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Seforim_of_Yaavetz.jpg)
*''Edut BeYaakov'', on the alleged heresy of Eybeschütz, and including ''Iggeret Shum'', a letter to the rabbis of the "Four Lands."
Altona, 1756.
*''Shimmush'', comprising three smaller works: ''Shoṭ la-Sus'' and ''Meteg laHamor'', on the growing influence of the
Sabbateans
The Sabbateans (or Sabbatians) were a variety of Jewish followers, disciples, and believers in Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676),
a Sephardic Jewish rabbi and Kabbalist who was proclaimed to be the Jewish Messiah in 1666 by Nathan of Gaza.
Vast n ...
, and ''Sheveṭ leGev Kesilim'', a refutation of heretical demonstrations. Amsterdam, 1758–62.
*''Shevirat Luchot haAven'', a refutation of Eybeschütz's "Luchot Edut." Altona, 1759.
*''Sechok haKesil'', ''Yekev Ze'ev'', and ''Gat Derukhah'', three polemical works published in the ''Hit'abbekut'' of one of his pupils. Altona, 1762.
*''Mitpachat Sefarim'', in two parts: the first part showing that part of the Zohar is not authentic but a later compilation; the second, a criticism on "Emunat Hakhamim" and "Mishnat Hakhamim," and other seforim and polemical letters addressed to the rabbi of
Königsberg
Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...
. Altona, 1761–68.
*''Herev Pifiyyot'', ''Iggeret Purim'', ''Teshuvot haMinim'', and ''Zikkaron beSefer'', on money-changers and bankers (unpublished).
*''Lechem Shamayim'', a commentary on the Mishnah, with a treatise in two parts, on Maimonides'
Mishneh Torah
The ''Mishneh Torah'' ( he, מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, , repetition of the Torah), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' ( he, ספר יד החזקה, , book of the strong hand, label=none), is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law (''h ...
, Beit haBechirah. Altona, 1728; Wandsbeck, 1733.
*''Iggeret Bikkoret'', responsa. Altona, 1733.
*''She'elat Ya'abetz'', a collection of 372 responsa. Altona, 1739–59.
*''Siddur Tefillah'', an edition of the ritual with a commentary, grammatical notes, ritual laws, and various treatises, in three parts: ''Beit-El'', ''Sha'ar haShamayim'', and ''Migdal Oz''. It also includes a treatise entitled ''Even Bochan'', and a criticism on
Menahem Lonzano
Menahem ben Judah ben Menahem de Lonzano (), often Menahem di Lonzano, was a rabbi, Masoretic scholar, lexicographer, and poet. He died after 1608 in Jerusalem.
Biography
His origin is unknown, but it has been supposed that he was born in Italy. ...
's ''Avodat Mikdash'', entitled ''Seder Avodah''. Altona, 1745–48.
*''Etz Avot'', a commentary to
Pirkei Avot
Pirkei Avot ( he, פִּרְקֵי אָבוֹת; also transliterated as ''Pirqei Avoth'' or ''Pirkei Avos'' or ''Pirke Aboth''), which translates to English as Chapters of the Fathers, is a compilation of the ethics, ethical teachings and Maxim ...
, with ''Lechem Nekudim'', grammatical notes. Amsterdam, 1751.
*''Sha'agat Aryeh'', a eulogy for his brother-in-law Aryeh Leib ben Saul, the rabbi of Amsterdam. Amsterdam, 1755. This was also included in his ''Kishurim leYa'akov''.
*''
Seder Olam Rabbah
''Seder Olam Rabbah'' ( he, סדר עולם רבה, "The Great Order of the World") is a 2nd-century CE Hebrew language chronology detailing the dates of biblical events from creation to Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia. It adds no storie ...
ve
Zutta'', the two Seder Olam and
Megillat Ta'anit, edited with critical notes. Hamburg, 1757.
*''Mor uKetziah'', novellæ on
Orach Hayyim
Orach Chayim, (''manner/way of life'') is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of Halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim. This section addresses aspects of Jewish law pertinent to the Hebrew calendar (be it the daily, weekly, monthly, or ...
(the novellæ on
Yoreh Deah
Yoreh De'ah ( he, יורה דעה) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, ...
,
Even haEzer
( “The Stone of Help” or “The Rock of the ”) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), ''Arba'ah Turim''. This section treats aspects of Jewish law related to marriage, divorce, and sexual conduct. Later, ...
, and
Hoshen Mishpat Choshen Mishpat is the Hebrew for "Breastplate of Judgement". The term is associated with one of the four sections of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim. This section treats aspects of Jewish law pertinent to ...
of Mor uKetziah were unpublished)
*''Tzitzim uFerachim'', a collection of kabbalistic articles arranged in alphabetical order. Altona, 1768.
*''Luach Eresh'', grammatical notes on the prayers, and a criticism of Solomon Hena's ''Sha'arei Tefillah''. Altona, 1769.
*''Shemesh Tzedakah''. Altona, 1772.
*''Pesach Gadol'', Tefillat Yesharim, and Ḥoli Ketem. Altona, 1775.
*''Sha'arei Azarah''. Altona, 1776.
*''Divrei Emet uMishpaṭ Shalom'' (n. d. and n. p.).
*''Megillat Sefer'', containing biographies of himself and of his father. Warsaw 1897
*''Kishurim leYaakov'', collection of sermons.
*Marginal novellæ on the Babylonian Talmud.
*''Emet LeYaakov'', notes on
Zohar
The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...
and assorted works, including
Dei Rossi
Azariah ben Moses dei Rossi (Hebrew: עזריה מן האדומים) was an History of the Jews in Italy, Italian-Jewish physician and scholar. He was born at Mantua in 1511; and died in 1578. He was descended from an old Jewish family which, ac ...
s' ''Meor Einayim''. Kiryas Joel, 2017
His unpublished rabbinical writings are the following:
*''Tza'akat Damim'', refutation of the blood accusation in Poland.
*Halakah Pesuḳah.
*''Hilkheta liMeshicha'', responsum to R. Israel Lipschütz.
*''Mada'ah Rabbah''.
*''Gal-Ed'', commentary to
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzchaki ( he, רבי שלמה יצחקי; la, Salomon Isaacides; french: Salomon de Troyes, 22 February 1040 – 13 July 1105), today generally known by the acronym Rashi (see below), was a medieval French rabbi and author of a compre ...
and to the
Targum
A targum ( arc, תרגום 'interpretation, translation, version') was an originally spoken translation of the Hebrew Bible (also called the ''Tanakh'') that a professional translator ( ''mǝturgǝmān'') would give in the common language of the ...
of the Pentateuch.
*''Em laBinah'', commentary to the whole Bible.
*''Em laMikra velaMasoret'', also a commentary to the Bible.
Emden Siddur
20th century printings (Lemberg 1904, Augsburg 1948) with a cover title "''Siddur Beis Yaakov''" (also Anglicized as Siddur Bet Yaakov) (Hebrew סידור בית יעקב) exist. Their cover(s) say Jacob from Emden יעקב מעמדין.
The 472 page Lemberg 1904 printing has
Tikun Leil Shavuot
(''Ḥag HaShavuot'' or ''Shavuos'')
, nickname = English: "Feast of Weeks"
, observedby = Jews and Samaritans
, type = Jewish and Samaritan
, begins = 6th day of Sivan (or the Sunday following the 6th day of Sivan in ...
on pages 275-305. This siddur is much larger than the author's ''
Shaarei ShaMaYim'' siddur.
Shaarei ShaMaYim
A physically smaller siddur, reprinted in Israel 1994, was titled ''Siddur Rebbe Yaakov of Emden''
(Hebrew: סידור רבי יעקב מעמדין) on the upper half of the cover, and ''Siddur HaYaavetz Shaarei ShaMaYim'' (סדור היעבייץ שערי שמים)
[(no Yud after Samech on bottom, but this may be an error of the reprinters)] The content/commentary is not as detailed/extensive as the full Emden siddur (for example, it is missing
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
(''Ḥag HaShavuot'' or ''Shavuos'')
, nickname = English: "Feast of Weeks"
, observedby = Jews and Samaritans
, type = Jewish and Samaritan
, begins = 6th day of Sivan (or the Sunday following the 6th day of Sivan in ...
). It is a 2-volume set (the first 2 books on the left side/see photo).
References
External links
Emden, Jacob Israel Ben Zebi Ashkenazi jewishencyclopedia.com
jewishvirtuallibrary.org
Rabbi Jacob Emden's View on Christianity and the Noachite Commandments Reprinted from the Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 19:1, Winter 1982
*, from Shelyot Ye'avetz, v 2, 15
*.
*Cohen, Mortimer Joseph,
Jacob Emden, A Man of Controversy', Philadelphia, Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, 1937.
*
Schacter, Jacob J., Rabbi Jacob Emden: Life and Major Works, Diss., Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 1988.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emden, Jacob
1697 births
1776 deaths
People from Altona, Hamburg
18th-century German rabbis
German Orthodox rabbis
Kabbalists
Dutch Orthodox rabbis
Rabbis from Hamburg
Exponents of Jewish law