Ets Haim Bibliotheek/Livraria Montezinos Manuscripten
Item
Country
NL
Name of institution (English)
Ets Haim Library/Montezinos Library
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
dut
por
Contact information: postal address
Mr. Visserplein 3, 1011 RD Amsterdam
Contact information: phone number
0031 (0)20 5 310 398
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
etshaim@jhm.nl
Reference number
EH
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Ets Haim Library/Montezinos Library Manuscripts
Title (official language of the state)
Ets Haim Bibliotheek/Livraria Montezinos Manuscripten
Language of title
dut
por
Creator / accumulator
Ets Haim Bibliotheek / Livraria Montezinos
Date(s)
1282/20th century
Date note
bulk: 17th century/19th century
Language(s)
dut
heb
lat
ita
por
spa
Extent
560 manuscripts
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Ets Haim Library is the oldest active Jewish library and it preserves one of the richest collections of manuscripts produced and/or gathered by a Western Sephardic community. It covers a broad range of subjects, which reflects the diversified curriculum of the Ets Haim school: religion (Talmud, Halakhah, responsa, Bible commentaries, sermons, kabbalah, midrash, polemics), philosophy, grammar, natural science, medicine, astronomy, history, music, prose, poetry, among others.
The collection comprises manuscript copies of works composed by renowned students and teachers of the Ets Haim, such as Isaac Aboab da Fonseca (1605-1693), Menasseh ben Israel (1604-1657), Saul Levi Morteira (c. 1596-1660), Jacob Sasportas (1610-1698) and David Franco Mendes (1713-1792). Remarkable are also the collections of polemical treatises by Isaac Oróbio de Castro (EH 49 A 16, EH 48 E 42, EH 48 D 16, EH 48 D 06, EH 48 C 16, EH 48 C 12, EH 48 C 04, EH 48 C 03, EH 48 C 01-02, EH 48 B 13, EH 48 B 12, EH 48 B 06, EH 48 B 05, EH 48 A 23, EH 48 A 21, EH 48 A 12, EH 48 A 11), ethical works and Bible commentaries of Solomon Saruco (EH 48 B 08, EH 48 B 09, EH 48 B 10), Eliau Montalto's treatises (EH 48 B 03, EH 48 D 08, EH 48 D 27, EH 49 A 01), Abraham Gomes Silveyra's polemical discourses (EH 48 B 14, EH 48 B 15, EH 48 B 17, EH 48 B 18, EH 48 B 19), Isaac Cohen Belinfante's poetry collections (EH 47 E 15, EH 47 E 14, EH 47 D 01, EH 47 C 30-31, EH 47 B 26, EH 47 B 11 13, EH 47 B 11 12, EH 47 B 11 05, EH 47 B 11 03, EH 47 B 11 02), Isaac de Pinto's discourses and letters (EH 48 C 23, EH 48 C 22, EH 48 A 19), Abraham Mendes Chumaceiro's homilies (EH 49 B 05 01-02, EH 48 D 34, EH 48 D 10, EH 48 B 21), and Abraham de Solomon de Meza's dialogues composed in 18th-century Copenhaguen (EH 48 E 30 and EH 48 E 60). The Ets Haim manuscripts also include musical collections (EH 48 E 44, EH 48 E 46-52, EH 48 E 54, EH 48 E 59, EH 49 A 13, EH 49 A 14, EH 49 B 22, EH 49 B 36-58), catalogues of books and manuscripts pertaining to Jewish libraries (EH 47 A 08, EH 47 C 15), and several Purim parodies (EH 47 C 17 01, EH 47 C 17 02, EH 47 C 17 03, EH 47 E 06, EH 47 E 09, EH 47 E 39, EH 47 E 49).
Other highlights of this collection are the following:
EH 48 A 04: Account of events by Manuel Lopes in the form of a letter to his uncle, concerning their family, which is imprisoned by the Portuguese Inquisition. Goa, January 16, 1568.
EH 47 B 11 15: Hebrew and Portuguese version of the narrative of the rescue of David Curiel from the hands of a murderer. Amsterdam, 1628.
EH 48 E 61: "Orden de oraciones d'mes", Spanish translation of Hebrew prayers according to the Sephardic rite copied by Judah Machabeu in Recife (Brazil), 1650.
EH 48 E 33: Spanish translation of Erasmus' Moriae Encomium, 17th century copy.
EH 48 D 39: "Dialogos contra a Cristandade", polemical and autobiographic treatise in prose and verse by João Pinto Delgado, 17th century copy.
EH 48 D 20: Spanish translation of the Koran, late 17th century.
EH 48 C 08: An 18th-century copy of the so-called "Marrakesh Dialogues", a polemical treatise against Christianity in the form of a dialogue between two brothers composed in Morroco in 1661.
EH 47 A 11: Letter addressed to Shabbetai Zevi, copied by Elijah ben Michael Judah Leon, 1666.
EH 48 D 26: "De los Judios y la Santa Inquisicion del Reyno de Portugal", 17th-century copy of a treatise on the Jewish question in Portugal by João Carvalho.
EH 48 E 22: Spanish manual of ritual slaughter compiled by Isaac Lopez de Almeida, second half of the 17th century.
EH 48 E 29: Rehuel Jessurun's Biblical play "Dialogo dos montes", late 17th century copy.
EH 48 E 13: "Notisias dos Judeos de Cochim", history and customs of the Jews of Cochin by Moses Pereira de Paiva, 18th century copy.
The collection comprises manuscript copies of works composed by renowned students and teachers of the Ets Haim, such as Isaac Aboab da Fonseca (1605-1693), Menasseh ben Israel (1604-1657), Saul Levi Morteira (c. 1596-1660), Jacob Sasportas (1610-1698) and David Franco Mendes (1713-1792). Remarkable are also the collections of polemical treatises by Isaac Oróbio de Castro (EH 49 A 16, EH 48 E 42, EH 48 D 16, EH 48 D 06, EH 48 C 16, EH 48 C 12, EH 48 C 04, EH 48 C 03, EH 48 C 01-02, EH 48 B 13, EH 48 B 12, EH 48 B 06, EH 48 B 05, EH 48 A 23, EH 48 A 21, EH 48 A 12, EH 48 A 11), ethical works and Bible commentaries of Solomon Saruco (EH 48 B 08, EH 48 B 09, EH 48 B 10), Eliau Montalto's treatises (EH 48 B 03, EH 48 D 08, EH 48 D 27, EH 49 A 01), Abraham Gomes Silveyra's polemical discourses (EH 48 B 14, EH 48 B 15, EH 48 B 17, EH 48 B 18, EH 48 B 19), Isaac Cohen Belinfante's poetry collections (EH 47 E 15, EH 47 E 14, EH 47 D 01, EH 47 C 30-31, EH 47 B 26, EH 47 B 11 13, EH 47 B 11 12, EH 47 B 11 05, EH 47 B 11 03, EH 47 B 11 02), Isaac de Pinto's discourses and letters (EH 48 C 23, EH 48 C 22, EH 48 A 19), Abraham Mendes Chumaceiro's homilies (EH 49 B 05 01-02, EH 48 D 34, EH 48 D 10, EH 48 B 21), and Abraham de Solomon de Meza's dialogues composed in 18th-century Copenhaguen (EH 48 E 30 and EH 48 E 60). The Ets Haim manuscripts also include musical collections (EH 48 E 44, EH 48 E 46-52, EH 48 E 54, EH 48 E 59, EH 49 A 13, EH 49 A 14, EH 49 B 22, EH 49 B 36-58), catalogues of books and manuscripts pertaining to Jewish libraries (EH 47 A 08, EH 47 C 15), and several Purim parodies (EH 47 C 17 01, EH 47 C 17 02, EH 47 C 17 03, EH 47 E 06, EH 47 E 09, EH 47 E 39, EH 47 E 49).
Other highlights of this collection are the following:
EH 48 A 04: Account of events by Manuel Lopes in the form of a letter to his uncle, concerning their family, which is imprisoned by the Portuguese Inquisition. Goa, January 16, 1568.
EH 47 B 11 15: Hebrew and Portuguese version of the narrative of the rescue of David Curiel from the hands of a murderer. Amsterdam, 1628.
EH 48 E 61: "Orden de oraciones d'mes", Spanish translation of Hebrew prayers according to the Sephardic rite copied by Judah Machabeu in Recife (Brazil), 1650.
EH 48 E 33: Spanish translation of Erasmus' Moriae Encomium, 17th century copy.
EH 48 D 39: "Dialogos contra a Cristandade", polemical and autobiographic treatise in prose and verse by João Pinto Delgado, 17th century copy.
EH 48 D 20: Spanish translation of the Koran, late 17th century.
EH 48 C 08: An 18th-century copy of the so-called "Marrakesh Dialogues", a polemical treatise against Christianity in the form of a dialogue between two brothers composed in Morroco in 1661.
EH 47 A 11: Letter addressed to Shabbetai Zevi, copied by Elijah ben Michael Judah Leon, 1666.
EH 48 D 26: "De los Judios y la Santa Inquisicion del Reyno de Portugal", 17th-century copy of a treatise on the Jewish question in Portugal by João Carvalho.
EH 48 E 22: Spanish manual of ritual slaughter compiled by Isaac Lopez de Almeida, second half of the 17th century.
EH 48 E 29: Rehuel Jessurun's Biblical play "Dialogo dos montes", late 17th century copy.
EH 48 E 13: "Notisias dos Judeos de Cochim", history and customs of the Jews of Cochin by Moses Pereira de Paiva, 18th century copy.
Archival history
The Ets Haim Library has been the core of the cultural heritage of Jewish Amsterdam for almost 400 years. During World War II, the collection was transferred to Germany, from where most of its items were returned, albeit somewhat damaged, in 1946. In 1978, the core collection of 560 manuscripts and over 2,800 rare and valuable early printed works were long-term loaned to the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem with the aim of preventing further losses.
Between 1999 and 1997, a detailed policy plan was drawn up for the renovation of the Ets Haim library building, making it as accessible as possible to an international public of students, teachers, and researchers. In 1998 the library was accorded the status of protected cultural heritage. It had completely upgraded to meet present-day requirements, with financial support from the government and a number of funds. In 2000, the collection that had been transferred to Jerusalem returned to Amsterdam. Three years later, in October 2003, the Ets Haim Library was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
In 2012, a project was initiated with the aim of creating a catalogue of the library’s printed books, as well as digitizing and making the manuscripts available online. The cataloguing and digitization project was possible through the financial support of Gieskes-Strijbis Fonds, SNS Reaal Fonds, BankGiroLoterij, and Rothschild Foundation Europe.
Between 1999 and 1997, a detailed policy plan was drawn up for the renovation of the Ets Haim library building, making it as accessible as possible to an international public of students, teachers, and researchers. In 1998 the library was accorded the status of protected cultural heritage. It had completely upgraded to meet present-day requirements, with financial support from the government and a number of funds. In 2000, the collection that had been transferred to Jerusalem returned to Amsterdam. Three years later, in October 2003, the Ets Haim Library was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
In 2012, a project was initiated with the aim of creating a catalogue of the library’s printed books, as well as digitizing and making the manuscripts available online. The cataloguing and digitization project was possible through the financial support of Gieskes-Strijbis Fonds, SNS Reaal Fonds, BankGiroLoterij, and Rothschild Foundation Europe.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Ets Haim Bibliotheek is the oldest functioning Jewish library in the world. It was established in 1616 as part of the Talmud Torah school and has occupied its current premises in the complex of the Portuguese Jewish Synagogue in Amsterdam since 1675. The Ets Haim (which means “Tree of Life”) Library started as part of the school founded by the first Portuguese Jewish congregation in Amsterdam. In 1889, the then-librarian David Montezinos, who served at the library from 1866 to 1916, opened his personal collection of manuscripts, books, and prints to the public, under certain conditions, for at least two days a week. Since then, it has been known as the Ets Haim Library–Livraria Montezinos. The library’s collections reflect the congregation’s interests in a wide range of subjects and tend to show a specific religious education.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Access, restrictions
Digital copies are available online:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Author of the description
Maria Aires do Carmo and Carla Vieira, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Bound Manuscripts Collection | Existence and location of copies | |
| Collectie Stadsarchief Amsterdam: bibliotheek | Existence and location of copies | |
| Hebräische Handschriften | Existence and location of copies | |
| Theologischen Handschriften | Existence and location of copies | |
| כתבי יד (Manuscripts) | Existence and location of copies |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Ets Haim Bibliotheek/Livraria Montezinos | Collections (official language of the state) |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| כתיב (Ktiv) | Existence and location of originals | |
| I. S. Révah | Existence and location of originals |