Jacob Emden: A collection of four volumes of Emdeniana. Two volumes of Emden's Siddur; two volumes related to the famous controversy; one by Emden, the other by Jonathan Eybeschuetz, Altona: 1745-55

Vol. I (Amudei Shamayim): 418 leaves (6 3/8 3 7/8 in.; 162 x 95 mm).[1], 356, 354-385, 389-415, 417-418, ff. 62-63 replaced in manuscript . Vol. II (Sha'arei Shamayim): 259 leaves (6 3/8 3 7/8 in.; 162 x 95 mm), inner half of final folio replaced in manuscript; wormhole affecting a few letters on pages of final five gatherings of vol. I and first six of vol II. Vol. III (Akizat Akrav): 20 leaves (7 1/8 x 6 in.; 180 x 152 mm), dampstaining, some chipping at margin; library stamps on first and final leaves. Vol.IV (Luhot Edut): 89 leaves (7 1/4 x 6 1/8 in.; 185 x 155 mm).  [12], 2-5, 16-17, 8-78. Illustration f. 63r; f. 25 shaved, affecting a few letters, library stamp on title and f. 36r. All volumes lightly browned. Vols. I and II: crimson half calf, gilt lozenge on front board, gilt-tooled titles (faded) on spines. Vols. III and IV: brown morocco, gilt titles on spine.

Vol. III ex-library JTS; vol. IV ex-library Prague.

Jacob J. Schacter, "Rabbi Jacob Emden: Life and Major Works," (PhD dissertation, Harvard University, 1988).

Rabbi Jacob Emden (1697-1776), one of the outstanding scholars of his generation, is perhaps best remembered for his infamous controversy with Jonathan Eybeschuetz which divided European Jewry, particularly rabbinic circles, into two camps.

The first two volumes of the present lot are first editions of parts I and II of Emden's three-part prayerbook. Printed by Emden in his Altona press, Paltin Beth El-Amudei Shamayim (1745) and Armon Ir ha-'Elohim-Sha'arei Shamayim (1747) comprise prayers for the entire year, and include an extensive commentary by Emden as well.

The remaining two volumes are an outgrowth of the Emden-Eybescheutz controversy. It was Emden who instigated the crisis by accusing Eybeshuetz of promulgating belief in the messiahship of the 17th-century pretender Sabbetai Zevi.  The first of these volumes, Akizat Akrav (Altona 1753) is a particularly scathing attack against Eybeschuetz by Emden, written after an examination of the kabbalistic amulets produced by Jonathan Eyebescheutz led Emden to conclude that the amulets were distinctly Sabbatian in nature. Almost immediately following the publication of Akizat Akrav, the Council of Four Lands banned the work and nearly all copies were destroyed.  Luhot Edut (Altona 1755) is Eybeschuetz' impassioned defense against the continuing vituperative attacks by Emden and his supporters, especially Rabbi Jacob Joshua Falk (see following two lots).