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LOT 166:
‘Ma’alot Ha’ivrim’ – a Significant Composition Defending the Jewish Religion, by Doctor and Philosopher Isaac ...
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‘Ma’alot Ha’ivrim’ – a Significant Composition Defending the Jewish Religion, by Doctor and Philosopher Isaac Cardoso, son of a Portuguese Marrano family.
Las Excelencias de los Hebreos, by Isaac Cardoso.
David de Castro Tartas printing. Amsterdam, 1679. Spanish. First edition
This book is comprised of two parts: the first discusses the virtues and unique characteristics of the Jewish nation, and that the Jewish nation is the Chosen Nation. The second part deals with the refutation of defamations and libels against the Jews, including a chapter dedicated to the widespread blood libel, according to which the Jews make use of Christian children’s blood for religious rites. The author, Isaac Cardoso (1603/4-1683) was born in Portugal to a family of Marranos. Cardoso studied medicine and philosophy in Salamanca, Spain. After working as a doctor in the city of Valladolid, he moved to Madrid and served as doctor in the court of King Philip IV. For many years, he acted outwardly as a Christian, but when he chose to leave Spain and move to Italy (apparently out of fear of the Inquisition), he openly embraced his Judaism. With his arrival in Italy, Cardoso became part of the Spanish-Jewish community of Venice. In 1653, he moved to Verona, and served as doctor in the Jewish community there until his death in 1683.
On the title page of part one is a woodcut of a hand breaking through the heavens and gathering flowers, on top of which is inscribed “el que me esparsio me recogera” [He who has scattered me will gather me]. There is a separate title page for part two, also decorated with a woodcut, carrying the inscription “Ellos Maldiziran y yo Bendizire” [They shall curse and I shall bless].
At the beginning of the composition are pages of dedication to Yaakov de Pinto, a Dutch Jew of Portuguese origins, son to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Amsterdam at that time.
Amsterdam, 1679.
[4] pages, 331 leaves, [1] page, 333-431 leaves. 21 cm.
Excellent condition, original binding. Footnotes written in pen (or feather), and many notes from two different authors, in Spanish and English, that include the verses that did not appear in the printing.
A rare and valuable volume.
