The Book of Life - Impressive Copy of the Baroness De Rothschild. London, [1847]. Hebrew and English.

The Book of Life - Impressive Copy of the Baroness De Rothschild. London, [1847]. Hebrew and English.

The Book of Life "being a complete formula of the Service and Family Devotion, adapted for the use of the sick and for those who attend them in their dying moments, also a selection of moral reflections, with a compendium of the several laws and ceremonies to be observed on such mournful occasions...to which is added an ancient Hebrew exhortation written by Rabbi Moses Aben Ezra... translated [from Hebrew] by the Rev B.H. Ascher".

This book is section I of Sefer Hachaim by R. Shimon Frankfurter. Based on the Frankfurt am Main 1835 edition, with some variations. The prayers for the cemetery were not printed. The following editions (since the London 1861 edition and onwards) were titled Sefer Hachaim Vekitzur Ma'aneh Lashon.

The "ancient Hebrew exhortation written by Rabbi Moses Aben Ezra" are the two first parts of the Piyyut by Rabbi Yehuda Halevi for Asseret Yemei Teshuvah beginning with the words: "אברך את יי אשר יעצני, אף לילות כליותי יסרוני" (Otzar Hashirah Vehapiyyut, I, p. 18. no. 354). 

The Dinim (most of them in English) were edited by Rabbi Nathan Adler, the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. 

This copy had belonged to one of the baronesses of the famed Rothschild family; embossed with gilt fonts on the binding: "BARONESS DE ROTHSCHILD". 

London, [1847]. Printed and published by Meldola, Cahn & Co. 

[2] leaves, [1] page corrections, 244, 7, IX pp. Very good condition. Quality paper. Gilt edges. Original, elegant half-leather binding with gilt decorations.