Creator Bio
Isaac ben Eliyakim of Posen
Early 17th Century
The only two things we know about Isaac ben Eliyakim are that he wrote the Yiddish book Lev tov (A Good Heart), and that he had some undefined connection to the city of Poznań in Poland. Lev tov, first printed in Prague in 1620, is an example of the genre of Yiddish-language ethical works known as sifre musar (morality books), which were meant to provide general religious and moral guidance in the vernacular shared by Ashkenazic Jews of the time. Printed frequently, even in present times, Lev tov was warmly recommended by such authorities and authors as Shabbetai Sheftel Horowitz, Glikl Hamel, and Jonah Landsofer.
Entries in the Posen Library by This Creator
Primary Source
Lev tov (A Good Heart): Ten Commandments for the Married Woman
This is the story of a queen who gave her daughter in marriage to a young king and then gave her the following instructions, inasmuch as she was about to be married. Since she was sending the daughter…
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Lev tov (A Good Heart): Rules for Raising Children
[ . . . ] Each man should raise his children to Torah and good deeds. Each man should always ensure that his children learn Torah while they are still young and he should have them learn…