De Resurrectione Mortuorum
AUCTION 50 |
Thursday, February 24th,
2011 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Hebrew Printed Books, Manuscripts, Graphic & Ceremonial Art Including: The Alfonso Cassuto Collection of Iberian Art
Lot 326
MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL.
De Resurrectione Mortuorum
Amsterdam: By the Author 1636
Est: $500 - $700
PRICE REALIZED $550
The Amsterdam Jewish community at this time was comprised primarily of Marranos, who in their Iberian homeland knew Judaism, if at all, only through the lens of the Old Testament. Since the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is not elucidated in the Bible, many of the newly arrived Marranos came to doubt the belief in an After-life. In response to these skeptics (especially Uriel Acosta), Menasseh marshalled proofs from throughout Judaic literature as to the existence of a World to Come. See C. Roth, A Life of Menasseh ben Israel (1945) pp. 91-4