Mikveh Yisrael, on the ten lost tribes of Israel and the redemption, by Menasseh Ben Israel. Amsterdam: Kosman Emrich at press of Asher Anshel son of Eliezer Chazan and Yissachar Ber son of Avraham Eliezer, 1698. First Hebrew edition. Pocket format.

Early leather binding, with gilt decorations.

Mikveh Yisrael was first published in Spanish by the author's son in Amsterdam, 1650. It was published the same year in Latin and English, and first appeared in Dutch about ten years later, and was later also translated into Yiddish. The present book is the first edition of the Hebrew translation.

At the beginning of the book is an introduction by the translator, R. Elyakim Shatz of Komarno, a cantor in Amsterdam (the translation was produced from the Dutch edition), followed by an index of Jewish and non-Jewish works and authors mentioned in the book.

In this work, Menasseh Ben Israel discusses the ten lost tribes of Israel, identifying them with the Indians of South America, and his concept of the redemption. At the beginning of the work, he cites the testimony of the Portuguese Marrano Antonio de Montezinos of his meeting with an Indian tribe who observed some Jewish customs and his claim that they are descendants of the tribes of Reuben and Levi. The work goes on to cite other testimonies from studies and travelogues, along with a discussion of the redemption, based on a conception connecting Jewish settlement throughout the world with the coming of the messiah.

Bound with another book: Masaot Shel Rabbi Binyamin HaRofe. Amsterdam: Casper Steen, 1698.

Mikveh Yisrael: 66 leaves. Masaot Shel Rabbi Binyamin: 27 leaves. 11 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor defects to margins of title page. Early leather binding, decorated, with color endpaper. Wear and defects to binding (open tear to spine).

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.

For further details on Mikveh Yisrael, and a full Hebrew translation of the original Spanish edition, see: M. Dorman, Menasseh Ben Israel, Tel Aviv: Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1989 (Hebrew).

Alfei Menashe, 1927, no. 57d.