(Liturgy). Amudei Shamayim. * Sha’arei Shamayim. * Birchoth Shamayim [prayers for the entire year, with extensive commentary by Jacob Emden]

An important three-part detailed commentary to the prayer-book with extensive examination of ritual law and custom. This copy with the exceptionally rare original unexpurgated text relating to sexual activity. At the beginning of Vol. II (ff.2-3) Emden disagrees with Maimonides as to the rationale for the commandment of circumcision. To Maimonides’ thinking, circumcision reduces sexual excitement; Emden posits the exact opposite to be true. Maimonides suggested that a plausible reason for the commandment of circumcision was as a design to curb sexual appetite. In his Guide of the Perplexed, Part III, chap. 49, Maimonides adduced as a proof to his contention the statement of the Rabbis concerning Dinah and Shechem (see Genesis Rabbah 80:11). Jacob Emden subjects here Maimonides’ theory to a most thorough critique. In most copies of the text, Emden's sentence trails off, “In truth, his [Maimonides’] remarks are most astonishing, etc.” (Birchoth Shamayim f.2v). - Reading the rare original text found in the present copy, Emden clearly imposed upon himself what might be called “internal censorship.” Only in very few surviving copies do we have the full, unexpurgated version of Emden’s difference with Maimonides: “If he [Maimonides] was referring to the added pleasure derived… I would like to make known that the matter is not as he thought. Rather, the opposite is true, as was related to me… It seems more plausible that one of the reasons for circumcision is to increase the prolificity of the Chosen People, that they reproduce abundantly, by arousing the sexual appetite of their wives, who derive more pleasure from a man when he is circumcised.” See Scholem’s review of Mortimer J. Cohen’s biography, Jacob Emden: A Man of Controversy, printed in Kiryath Sepher, Vol. XVI (1939-40), p.322. Scholem found Emden’s remarks “approaching profanity, especially in a prayer book." A fuller transcript of these expurgated pages accompanies the Lot and is available upon request.