Megilat sefer (The Scroll of the Book)

Jacob Emden

ca. 1762–1770

I was the fourth [child] born and the first son, a tender darling to my father and my mother (cf. Prov. 4:3) after my mother had given birth to three daughters. My parents were worriers and trembled over me a great deal. I was reared on their knees as a delightful child (cf. Jer. 31:19), with great daintiness and delicacy (cf. Isa. 47:1), and…

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Creator Bio

Jacob Emden

1697–1776

Jacob (Ya‘akov) Emden, also known as Ya‘avets (Ya‘akov ben Tsevi), was a renowned rabbinic scholar who lived in Altona, then in Denmark, near Hamburg, for most of his life, though he spent some time in Amsterdam, Moravia, and Emden. Except during his time in Emden, he held no official rabbinic post. Emden was a prolific writer; many of his works, including Sefer hitabkut (1762–1767), were related to his controversies. He owned a small printing press in Altona. A temperamental and controversial figure, he leveled accusations against many rabbinic figures, that they were secret believers in Shabetai Tsevi, including against Jonathan Eybeschütz, whom he accused of creating Sabbatian amulets.

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