Mizbe'ach Yaakov. Published to raise funds for Pidyon Shevuyim. Venice, [1662]..

Mizbe'ach Yaakov. Published to raise funds for Pidyon Shevuyim. Venice, [1662]..

Extremely rare Single edition. 

Sefer Mizbe'ach Yaakov, Divrei Mussar, by Rabbi Yaakov Kopel Margaliot.

A work that was written specifically to raise funds for the Pidyon (redemption) of the author's young son, daughter and relatives, who were captured by Cossacks or Polish-Lithuanian soldiers, at the Ludmir community in Poland.

From leaf 17 to the end of the book: "Mator Yaakov… to elucidate the commandment of Anochi and the commandment of Lo Tachmod … and twelve Midot Tovot against the Twelve Tribes and against the twelve vices man should stay away from".

On leaf 18b, he introduces what he found "handwritten in the name of the Rav the Ria" (Rabbi Yitzchak Ashkenazi, the Ari Hakadosh).

The author himself, Rabbi Yaakov Kopel ben Rabbi Zvi Margaliot, was redeemed by the Jews of Kushta, as he recalls in his introduction. However, the kidnappers refused to release his young son and daughter unless he brought them a large sum of money. Therefore, he edited and published this Mussar book, asking in his introduction for the Jews' help to obtain the large sum by purchasing the book.

A rare work: one of the only books that were published during the events of the Russia-Poland War (1654-1667) with a recollection of the events in real-time.

The detail of the year of printing of the work as printed on the title page is"ת’י’ח’ד’ לבבנו לאהבה". (dedicate our hearts to love). It seems that even the detail of the year implies the author's great desire to reunite with his young children.

Gzeirot Tach-Tat or Pera'ot Tach-Tat refer to the pogroms against the Jews of Poland (in the areas of today's Ukraine, including Kiev and the historical districts of Galicia, Vohlin and Podolia) in 1648 during the Cossack uprising led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky, or Khemel the Evil as he was called by the Jews. The massacre of the Jews of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine took place throughout the entire period of the uprising and continued in following years during the Russia-Poland War (1654-1667) and the small Northern War with the Swedish Empire that led to their outbreak.

Venice, [1662]. Vendramin Press. Single edition.

19, [1] leaves. 19 cm. Very good condition. Bound in a magnificent new binding.

To the best of our knowledge, this book was seen only once in auctions.