Bidspirit auction | MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL. Obrona Izraelitów. 

MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL. Obrona Izraelitów.  FIRST EDITION IN POLISH. Translated by Jacob Tugendhold. pp. (4), clxvi. Ex-library, lightly foxed. Contemporary sheep-backed marbled boards, worn. 12mo. ( * Bound with another text: “Przedmowa Mendelsohna.” pp. 146). Warsaw, 1831. Translation into Polish of Manasseh ben Israel's Vindiciæ Judæorum, a defense of Judaism in the form of an analysis and refutation of anti-Jewish allegations and slanders. Full title: Obrona Izraelitów przez Rabbi Manasse ben Izrael, czyli odpowiedź tegoż, dana … Anglikowi na kilka iego zapytań względem niektórych zarzutów Izraelitom czynionych; oraz rozprawa, o czynionym ludowi starozakonnemu zarzucie potrzeby krwi chrześciiańskiey do iakiegoś obrządku religiynego … przez J. Tugendholda. [“The defense of the Israelites by Rabbi Manasseh ben Israel, or the answer given by him … to an Englishman on some of his questions concerning some accusations made against the Israelites; and a treatise on the accusation made against the Old Testament people of needing Christian blood for some religious rite by J. Tugendhold”]. WorldCat records just one single copy worldwide . The translator, Jacob Tugendhold (1791-1871) was an early adherent of the Galician Haskalah. He sought to improve the social and economic lives of Polish Jews, also defending Judaism from hostile attacks.