Bidspirit auction | EMDEN, YA’AKOV. Eitz Avoth [commentary

EMDEN, YA’AKOV. Eitz Avoth [commentary to Ethics of the Fathers, with text]. FIRST EDITION. ff. 82. Ex-library, trimmed, foxed. Modern tan blind-tooled calf. Sm. 4to. Vinograd, Altona 51. Amsterdam, (i.e. Altona): Self-published 1751 Besides providing the commentaries of Bartenura and Tosphoth Yom Tov, R. Ya’akov Emden includes here two original commentaries: Lechem Nikudim, dealing with grammatical and linguistic issues; and Lechem Shamayim, of a conceptual nature. The book was published with the Haskamah of the author’s brother-in-law, R. Aryeh Leib of Amsterdam. Includes polemic against Zalman Hena’s Beth Tephilah-Luach Eresh, arguing that Hena did not properly vocalize Pirkei Avoth (ff. 75v-82v). A prolific author, R. Emden wrote over 30 works. For more on his life and colorful personality, see J.J. Schachter, Megillat Sepher (forthcoming).