Ephraim Wertheim. Sha’ar Ephraim [responsa, along with charms, potions and folk medicine]
AUCTION 73 |
Thursday, June 22nd,
2017 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters & Graphic Art
Lot 186
(MEDICINE)
Ephraim Wertheim. Sha’ar Ephraim [responsa, along with charms, potions and folk medicine]
Altona: Aaron Katz 1736
Est: $700 - $1,000
PRICE REALIZED $850
A fascinating manual containing folk-remedies and cures for a variety of sicknesses especially for “those in the villages who do not have ready access to doctors.” The author was also known as a kabbalist, indeed the introductory pages record an anecdote whereby he exorcised a dybbuk. The final leaf is a glossary of scientific symbols identified in Yiddish and Latin (transliterated in waybertaytsch letters). The author is clearly quite confident in his medical knowledge and is of the opinion that many of the local gentile doctors were charlatans, who furthermore, had no skills in Latin.