By Tovia Preschel
Yaakov Emden was one of the most interesting rabbinic personalities of the eighteenth century. Though he served only for a short period of time as the official rabbi of a community, his influence on the rabbinical world was enormous. He is primarily known for his prolonged battle against Rabbi Yonathan Eibeshuetz, whom he suspected of being a secret believer in Sabbatai Zvi, but his true fame rests on his numerous scholarly works.
Yaakov Emden has greatly enriched Torah literature by contributing to every field of Jewish studies. His writings excel by their wonderful and temperamental style and reflect his independent judgment and fearlessness. For Yaakov Emden knew no fear and was ready to fight and suffer for his ideas. In his suspicion of Yonathan Eibeshuetz he was certainly wrong, but there were other occasions in his lifetime when he unabashingly voiced his opinion knowing full well it was not pleasant to the ears of the rich and the mighty of the community.
His writings, especially his comments on the Siddur, are interspersed with vehement criticism of some aspects of the way of life of his contemporaries. Emden was frank and outspoken about other people but so he was also about himself, as can be seen from his autobiography “Megillath Sefer”.
Emden’s major works include his commentary on the Mishna h(Lehem Shamayim), on the Tur Orah Hayyim (Mor Uketzia), responsa (Sh’elot Yaavetz) his Siddur and Mitpahat Sefarim.
Other literary productions of his include numerous treatises composed in the heat of his battle against Eibeshuetz; notes on the Talmud and other books, as well as an extensive commentary on the Bible, the latter has not been printed.
Much has been written about Yaakov Emden but a large and complete biography giving us an insight into his soul and into his ideas and teachings is still wanting.
A necessary prerequisite for such a biography is a complete bibliography of the writings of Yaakov Emden. Such has now been compiled by Yitzhak Rafael, who in addition to scholarly researches in other fields, has been also the author of numerous studies in bibliography.
The compilation of the bibliography of Yaakov Emden’s writings is not an easy task. Some of his books have gone through many editions, while others are very rare and most difficult to get hold of. Rafael has devoted much effort to examine all publications and editions, and in his treatise gives us a most elaborate description of these. The extensive title pages are given in full, and pertinent observations grace every page of the bibliography. In his treatise, which is adorned by facsimiles, Rafael publishes also for the first time from manuscript a list of the writings of Emden compiled during his lifetime.
From Rafael’s introduction to his treatise we also learn that Emden gave only once a “Haskama” to a book by another author, and even this he later regretted.
Bibliographies do not always make absorbing reading. However, the bibliography of Yaakov Emden is supremely so.
Penine Hadat
On of the finest Hebrew textbooks for the teaching of the laws and customs of our religion is “Penine Hadat”. It was compiled by Yoseph Appelbaum, a teacher and writer, and for the first time published in pre-war Roumania.
It is facile to read and to teach from, and conveys to the pupil not only superficial but extensive and deep knowledge of Jewish laws. Its arrangement most original and is intended to acquaint the pupil not only with the laws and customs, but also with the whole framework of Jewish religious life. Suffice here to cite only the contents of two of its chapters. The introductory chapter discusses among other things the “Seven Mitzvoth of the Bne Noach,” the “Written and Oral Law,” the tasks of the great Beth Din of Jerusalem, the Shulchan Aruch, the relations between rabbi and the community etc. Subjects discussed in the chapter on “Tefillah Betzibur” include “The Shaliach Tzibur,” Minyan, Kadish, Kedusha, Priestly Blessings, the building and holiness of the synagogue, entry and leaving of the synagogue, etc. The twenty-five chapters of the book embrace all laws of every day life, of fast days and festivals. The book, which is vocalized and written in an easy and pleasant style, has now been reprinted by the well known bookseller A. L. Frankel.
Jewish Press
11/3/1961