Ir Gibborim [moral sermons]

EPHRAIM (SOLOMON) OF LUNTSCHYTZ.

Ambrosius Froben

Basle

1580

FIRST EDITION

Prijs, Basle 126; Vinograd, Basle 166; not in Adams

Author rewrote this work in 1590 (entitled Oleloth Ephraim) due to criticism for neglecting to correctly cite all sources. See Carmilly-Weinberger, pp.151-2 USE THIS (BELOW) FOR NEXT TIME ---------------- The author (1550-1619), a renowned preacher, studied in his youth in Poland under Rabbi Solomon Luria (MaHaRSHa”L). He later served as Chief Justice of the rabbinical court of Prague. Today Ephraim Luntschytz is best known for his Keli Yakar (“Precious Vessel”), a popular homiletic commentary to the Pentateuch included in most editions of Mikra’oth Gedoloth. The author in the introduction to his second work Oleloth Ephraim, states that he was insulted and attacked by “zealots... as is the custom of this generation, whose sole intent is to connive false accusations against a new book”. They accused him of “imprecise quoting “ of midrashim and passages of the Talmud. He defended himself by stating that “at the time. [that he wrote the Ir Gibborim].. I had neither bread to eat nor clothes to wear...and had no books ... to consult... I wrote only the things that my memory retained...from my youth...” See Carmilly-Weinberger, pp.151-2