Pethach Einayim [addenda to Shevirath Luchoth Ha’even]

EMDEN, JACOB

By the Author

(Altona

1757)

FIRST EDITION. Printed without a title page.Hebrew signature of former owner, "Judah Leibush Margolioth of Brody." Within letters of title Pethach Einayim, the letters "Ephraim Zalman." (See precis below)

Vinograd, Altona 61; Mehlman 1712; Raphael, Aresheth, Vol. III, p. 261 (no. 18)

Excessively rare response to Ezekiel Landau's (the Noda BeYehudah) criticisms of Jacob Emden’s scathing Akitzath Akrav. Anxious not to have the Jewish communites splintered by the dispute between Emden and Jonathan Eybescheutz, the Noda BeYehudah pronounced a ban on all books published by either participant in the protracted polemic. Thereafter, Eybeschuetz and his supporters aided the local authorites in searching Emden’s home for copies of this work and many copies were incinerated, some by the very people to whom they had been entrusted, very few copies have survived. See M. Carmilly-Weinberger, Censorship and Freedom of Expression in Jewish History (1977) pp. 88-9.