Libes briv (Love Letter)

Isaac Wetzlar

1749

Chapter Eight

I must first briefly describe human nature. Namely, we people contain within us the four fundamental [elements] like all other species of creation that are below us or inferior to us. It is known to all scientists that if one fundamental [element] is dominant in man, such is his nature. Therefore, one can find clear examples of four…

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Creator Bio

Isaac Wetzlar

1680–1751

Born into a poor family, Isaac Wetzlar nevertheless managed to obtain a rabbinic education in Prague. He presented himself as a successful businessman, but it is also clear that he was a learned man. He appears in archival sources associated with the Jewish community of Celle from 1717 until his death. Libes briv (Love Letter) survived in the form of a manuscript. It is written in Yiddish and combines the genre of ethical writings with parts that are more autobiographical by nature. In the book, Wetzlar addresses many of the social and religious problems of his generation.

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