The first Hebrew printing press in Amsterdam was established in 1626 by Menasseh Ben Israel, a scholar whose influence spanned the religious and political landscapes of seventeenth-century Europe. Born Manoel Dias Soeiro in 1604, he moved from La Rochelle to the Dutch Republic in 1610, emerging as a central figure in Jewish life, diplomacy, and philosophy.
Early Scholarly Life and Publishing
After studying under Moses Raphael de Aguilar in Amsterdam, he rose to prominence as a rabbi and author. His 1632 work, El Conciliador, addressed apparent discrepancies in the Hebrew Bible and established his reputation among scholars. Beyond his writings, he founded the Emeth Meerets Titsmah printing press, managing the production of Hebrew texts while directing a yeshibah academy funded by the Pereyra brothers.
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Influenced by Antonio de Montezinos, who claimed the Andes' indigenous populations were descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel, Menasseh integrated this narrative into his messianic framework. He argued that the global dispersal of Jewish people was a prerequisite for the arrival of the Messiah. This concept formed the basis of his 1650 publication, The Hope of Israel, which appeared in Latin as Spes Israelis and in Spanish as Esperança de Israel.
Diplomacy and English Readmission
Seeking to reverse the 1290 expulsion of Jews from England, he leveraged English interest in Millenarianism and commercial expansion. In 1655, he arrived in London to petition Oliver Cromwell. Although his efforts led to the Whitehall Conference, his influence was met with domestic resistance, notably from William Prynne. He maintained professional correspondence with thinkers such as Hugo Grotius and Gerardus Vossius throughout his career.
Fast facts
- Born: 1604, La Rochelle
- Died: 1657, Middelburg
- Primary occupations: Rabbi, writer, diplomat, printer
- Notable work: El Conciliador (1632)
- Significant publication: The Hope of Israel (1650)
- Burial location: Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
- Languages spoken: Latin, Spanish, Hebrew
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Portugal, Dutch Republic
Questions readers ask
What was the primary goal of Menasseh Ben Israel's diplomacy in England?
He sought the readmission of Jews to England, hoping to fulfill messianic prophecies and foster a new home for Jewish communities.
What were the main fields of his academic output?
His work focused on Jewish philosophy, biblical criticism, Jewish history, and kabbalistic studies.
Achievements
- Worked as philosopher, publisher and writer
