Tzror HaChaim – "De Termino Vitae" [On the End of Life], by Menasseh Ben Israel. Amsterdam: printed by the author, 1639. First edition. Latin, with some Hebrew.

Fine early parchment binding, with gilt decorations.

The book discusses whether death is a result of natural causes or predetermined by G-d, in response to the Epistolica Quaestio de Vitae Termino by Dutch scholar Johan van Beverwijck. Based on Jewish sources, Menasseh Ben Israel argues that death is not divinely predetermined, but rather depends on natural causes, manners of life and deeds.

At the end, index and two lengthy poems by philosopher and mathematician Jacob Rosales.

[16], 237, [50] pages. 12 cm. Good condition. Stains. Open tear, affecting text of one leaf. Early parchment binding, with defects.

Bookplate of Bibliotheek Kasteel Rosendael by Arnhem.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Humas de Parasioth y Aftharoth / traduzido palabra por palabra de la verdad hebraica en español (Five Books of the Torah and Haftarot, translated to Spanish). Amsterdam: Immanuel Benveniste, 1643. Spanish.

Old leather binding, with decorated gilt edges.

Seventeenth-century Amsterdam was home to a large Sephardi community. Many of its members were descendants of Marranos who emigrated from Spain and Portugal a century after the expulsion. The present book was printed for the members of this community who were not familiar with the Hebrew language.

Divisional title page for the Sephardic-rite haftarot.

[2], 3-249, [2], [1] blank leaf; 82 leaves. Significant misfoliation. 16.5 cm. Gilt edges, with floral decorations. Overall good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Small marginal open tear to title page. Old leather binding, with wear and defects.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Espejo de la vanidad del mundo ["Mirror of the Vanity of the World"], by Abraham Pereyra. Amsterdam: Alexandro Ianse, 1671. First edition. Spanish, with some words in Hebrew.

An ethical work comprised of five parts, discussing the nature of the soul, the duty to perform the mitzvot, fear and love of God, punishment in Gehinnom and reward in Gan Eden.

The book bears the approbations of three rabbis of Amsterdam, R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, R. Moshe Refael de Aguilar and R. Yoshiyahu Pardo; as well as praise for the author by R. Yitzchak Orobio de Castro and a poem in praise of the author by Daniel HaLevi de Barrios.

The author,
Abraham Pereyra (d. 1699), a descendant of Marranos and a rich and influential merchant, lived in Amsterdam where he was a leader of the Jewish community. The present work was written to bolster Jewish faith, while making heavy use of Spanish Catholic political thought.

[20] leaves, 568 pages. [4] leaves of index and errata bound after introduction, instead of end of book. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Creases and tears to margins of several leaves. Original parchment binding. Stains and defects to binding.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Sermoens de David Nunes-Torres, pregador da celebre irmandade de Abi Yetomim [Sermons of R. David Nunes-Torres, preacher of the Avi Yetomim Brotherhood]. Amsterdam: Moseh Dias, [1690]. Portuguese. Three works in one volume (general title page at beginning and three partial divisional title pages).

Three sermons delivered by R. David Nunes-Torres, a famous preacher of Portuguese origin in Amsterdam.

R. David Nunes-Torres (d. 1728) was a preacher, thinker, proofreader and publisher of the Sephardic-Portuguese community of Amsterdam. A disciple of R. Yitzchak Aboab de Fonseca, he served as preacher and later as Rabbi of the Portuguese-Sephardic community of the Hague. He worked as a printer at the press of Immanuel Athias, and was involved in several famous controversies with Amsterdam rabbis.

On endpapers at beginning of volume, bibliographical inscriptions in early handwriting (Hebrew, Portuguese and Dutch), with contents, sources, and references to manuscripts, works and catalogs.

[6] leaves, 16 pages; [2] leaves; 19 pages; [2] leaves; 18, 23-28 pages. Lacking pages 19-22 of last sequence. Approx. 20 cm. Wide margins. Overall good condition. Stains and light wear. Old inscriptions to margins. Bookplate. Original parchment binding, stained and worn.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

Arbol de Vidas, en el qual se contienen los dinim mas necessarios que deve observar todo Yisrael, Sacados de Varios y Graves Authores [Tree of Life, containing all the most necessary halachot for all Jews to observe], by R. Avraham Vaez. [Amsterdam], 1692. First edition. Spanish.

Summary of halachot in Spanish, selected from various books and authors, by R. Avraham Vaez, rabbi of the Nefutzot Yehudah community in Bayonne (southwestern France, near the Spanish border). The work was meant for the members of the descendants of Marranos of Spain and Portugal who returned to openly practicing Judaism but were not familiar with the Hebrew language.

At end of book, décima (ten-line poem) by Abraham Rodriguez Faro.

88, 83-172, 179-186, [177]-204, [4] pages. Mispagination. Lacking 3 leaves (gathering Y). 14.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dark stains affecting text. Minor marginal tears to some leaves. Close trimming, bordering text and affecting headers of some leaves. Bookplate. Old leather binding, somewhat worn.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.