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.