Proofreader’s Preface: Seder tefilot ke-minhag kahal kadosh Sefarad (The Order of the Prayers of the Holy Congregation of Spain)

Isaac Aboab da Fonseca

1627

Menasseh ben Joseph ben Israel, seeing the Bomberg types worn out, and since nothing can be imperfect for the Holy Work, arose from within the community and went out, and came to the house of an artisan. And behold, he was standing there at his work, the tools of his trade in his hand. He said to him: behold, the money is given to you and the…

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Creator Bio

Isaac Aboab da Fonseca

1605–1693

Isaac Aboab da Fonseca was a rabbi, kabbalist, and preacher, born in Castro Daire, Portugal, to a family of New Christians. He arrived in Amsterdam with his family at the age of seven and was subsequently brought to Judaism. Between 1642 and 1654 he lived in Recife, Brazil, where he served as the rabbi of the local community and was, in fact, the first rabbi on the American continent. After the Portuguese conquest of the Dutch colony in Brazil, he returned to Amsterdam, and from 1660 until his death he served as chief rabbi of the Sephardic community. During the Sabbatean messianic ferment he was one of the chief believers in Shabbetai Tzvi in the Dutch capital.

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