Bidspirit auction | Igeret Beit Tefillah. Berlin, [1772]

Igeret Beit Tefillah. Berlin, [1772] - First time auctioned - the book by the controversial author Yitzchak Satanow. Rare.  Igeret Beit Tefillah by Yitzchak Satanow.  Satanow was a controversial figure in his lifetime and after his passing. His work is largely pseudepigraphic, being of many varied writing styles. He introduced some of his works as if they had been written by Jewish sages of previous generations and anyway, he was treated as light-headed at best and a fraud at worst.  This is indicated by the approbation written by five rabbis, including Rabbi Yosef Teomim, to his book Mishlei Asaf (the approbation was, apparently, forged):  ”Its author is unknown since the above Mahari says he found it and so it was. Yet it seems this is but an allegory and possibly, the above Mahari himself authored it... since we know the man and his clear language...in the end, not Asaf authored it”.  In an approbation to his book Kuntres Misefer Hazohar Chibura Tanyana, he introduced the difference between himself and regular forgers who ”steal from others and attribute what they stole to themselves, yet he steals from himself and attributes what he stole to others”. He stood half-way between the two parties: on the one hand, he was devoted to Enlightenment and natural science; on the other, he based his philosophy on Medieval Jewish sages and continued to observe the Mitzvot, although he called for extensive halachic adjustments. Contemporary critics called him ”semi-heretic, semi-believer” and radical intellectuals mocked his religious hypocrisy. His style of clothing also added to his multi-faceted image: he wore modern German clothing like the members of the Enlightenment Movement and above them, a long Polish coat like observant Jews. .  Berlin, [1772].  40 leaves. Very good condition. Several leaves are smaller than the others. New binding.   Rare book by an intriguing and controversial figure - first time auctioned.