Examination of Pharisaic traditions = Exame das tradicoes phariseas : : facsimile of the unique copy in the Royal Library of Copenhagen / / Uriel da Costa ; translation, notes, and introduction by H.P. Salomon and I.S.D. Sassoon.

• Superior document: Brill's Studies in Intellectual History, Volume 44
• Author: Kongelige Bibliotek (Denmark)
• VerfasserIn: Acosta, Uriel, approximately 1585-1640,
• TeilnehmendeR: Salomon, H. P. 1930-2021,; Sassoon, I. S. D.,; Kongelige Bibliotek (Denmark)
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands : : Brill,, 1993.; ©1993
• Year of Publication: 1993
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Series: Brill's studies in intellectual history ; Volume 44.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (615 pages) :; illustrations, charts.
• Notes: "Supplemented by Semuel da Silva's Treatise on the immortality of the soul = Tratado da immortalidade da alma."

Da Costa's long-lost book rejects the divine origin of the rabbinic tradition. His insight was that what he calls Pharisaism is irreconcilable with the religion of the Pentateuch and therefore cannot derive from the same source. He claims, for example, that the Law of Moses does not allow for a belief in an afterlife for individual human beings. Concomitantly he denied the Mosaic origin of the notion of eternal punishment. The rabbinic reading of the Mosaic Law appeared to him almost as great a falsification as the Christian one. Yet there could be no reversion to Christianity and despite his deep rift with the synagogue he still believed in ultimate redemption for the Jewish people. As he so dramatically declares in his closing sonnet, Israel's rehabilitation depends on its shedding man-made doctrines, and holding fast to the Law in its purity.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- Exame Das Tradiçoes Phariseas / Uriel Jurista Hebreo and Semvel da Silva -- Examination of Pharisaic Traditions / 'Uri'el HEBREW Jurist and Semu'el da Silva -- Treatise on the Immortality of the Soul / Semu'el da Silva -- Appendix 1: Transcription of Document Handwritten and Signed by Uriel da Costa at Coimbra, October 8 1601 -- Appendix 2: Transcription of minutes of May 15 1623 meeting of delegates from three sephardic congregations concerning the arrival at Amsterdam of Uriel da Costa -- Appendix 3: Uriel da Costa's own account of his life (Exemplar humanae vitae), englished by John Whiston (London, 1740) -- Index of Biblical References -- Index of Proper Names -- Index of Subject Matters.