Amsterdam Haggadah - 1662

In 1662, Uri Phoebus ben Aaron Halevi published the first Haggadah ever printed in Amsterdam
He used the four-language Venice Haggadah from 1601 with comments by Rabbi Josef of Padua and Rabbi Moshe Alshek as a model
137 striking woodcuts accompany the texts for the Seder and bring the historical rituals and stories to life

Amsterdam Haggadah - 1662

Description

Amsterdam Haggadah - 1662

In the second half of the 17th century, Amsterdam became one of the European centers for Jewish publications — the Jewish printing and publishing business was flourishing. The beautifully illuminated Haggadah presented here is also to be seen in this context. It was printed in 1662 by Uri Phoebus ben Aaron Halevi, making it the first Haggadah ever printed in Amsterdam. Halevi based his work on the Venice Haggadah of 1601, which is why the Amsterdam print also contains the order of the Seder in Judeo-Italian, Ladino, and Yiddish. However, this seems reasonable given that there was both a large Ashkenazi and a large Sephardic community in Amsterdam at the time of its creation. In addition, the comments by Rabbi Josef of Padua and Rabbi Moshe Alshek, as well as the 137 striking woodcut illuminations, were taken from the model. They were complemented by an elaborate title page. A significant milestone in the history of Haggadah printing!

Codicology

Alternative Titles: Amsterdam Haggadah - 1662
Passover Haggadah Amsterdam 1662
Haggadat Amsterdam HaKadmonit – 1662
Type: Printed book on paper
Size / Format: 56 pages / 23.0 × 16.5 cm
Origin: Netherlands
Date: 1662
Epochs: Late Middle Ages Onwards
Style: Baroque
Genre: Judaism / Hebrew
Language: Hebrew
German
Italian
Spanish
Illustrations: 137 woodcuts
Content: The order of the Seder in Judeo-Italian, Judeo-German and Judeo-Spanish; a commentary by Yosef of Padua; the Seder instructions in Hebrew; Rabbi Moshe Alshek’s moralistic interpretation of the order
Artist / School: Uri Phoebus ben Aaron Halevi (printer)

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#1 The Amsterdam Haggadah of 1662

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Amsterdam Haggadah - 1662