Historic debate & controversy: Luchos Eidus by Rabbi Yehonasan Eibschitz. Altona, 1755. First ...

Historic debate & controversy: Luchos Eidus by Rabbi Yehonasan Eibschitz. Altona, 1755. First Edition.

Letters and endorsements by the great sages and kabbalists of the era fiercely defending the sage Rabbi Yehonasan Eibschitz and condemning the rumors spread about him as fallacious and evil.

Shortly after Rabbi Yehonasan Eibchistz, Av Beis of Prague, arrived in the city of Altona to assume the position as Rabbi of the three communities there (Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek), there were several tragic incidents of local Jewish women who perished during childbirth. Rabbi Yehonasan, who was also a revered kabbalist, proceeded to give expecting women special amulets which aided the woman and caused the phenomenon to abruptly cease. When one of these amulets reached the hands of Harav Yaakov Emden, he suspected that it contained Sabbatean trachings and issued a public accusation of heresy against the new Rabbi, prompting the notorious Eibschitz- Emden Controversy which made waves across the Diaspora.

Rabbi Yehonasan Eibschitz dispatched the amulets that he’d created, along with their explanations, to his contemporary sages and kabbalists, and the vast majority responded with their unequivocal support, vouching for his innocence. This collection of their letters and endorsement was published by Rabbi Yehonasan Eibschitz in order to dispel any claim or suspicion of his Sabbatean affiliation.

The Vilna Gaon, who was one of the Torah luminaries to whom Rabbi Eibschitz sent his amulet, responded with a powerful letter of endorsement that appears in this book on page 71b.

Altona, 1755. First edition. 76 leaves. Page size: 19 cm. Original binding; spine worn. Dark stamp on title page. Good condition.

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