These books were edited by Manasseh with great care and fine judgment. Heer J. M. Hillesum, the scholarly librarian of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana (Universiteits――Bibliotheek, Amsterdam), supposes that the first _Hebrew_ book printed in Amsterdam¹ was the “Daily Prayers” according to the Spanish rite dated January, 1627, and edited by Manasseh.² Whatever view may be taken of this assumption, it is, at all events, certain that Manasseh was one of the pioneers of Amsterdam _Hebrew_ printing, which will for ever have a distinguished place in the annals of _Hebrew_ publications. He not only displayed artistic taste worthy of the friend of Rembrandt in creating the first specimens of beautiful _Hebrew_ books, but by the precision of his corrections he proved himself an excellent _Hebrew_ grammarian. It must be borne in mind that _Hebrew_ grammarians among the _Rabbis_ of his time were seldom met with, and found only among scholars of a somewhat progressive type. ¹ Het eerste te Amsterdam gedrukte Hebreeuwsche Boek. Verbeterde overdruk uit maanblad “_Achawah_” van 1 Februari _en_ 1 Maart 1910 (No. 185 _en_ 186) by Heer J. M. Hillesum. ² סדר תפלות כמנהג קהל קדש ספרד ... נדפס עתה במצות הגבירים אפרים בואינו ואברהם צרפתי באמשטילרדאם בבית מנשה בן ישראל שנת וישכן ישראל בטח (_16mo._ 1 _l._ + 360 _pp._ (paginated, 2‒361) + 1 _l._ [Bodleian.]) The only other copy known is in the library of Elkan N. Adler. He showed his competence also in the _Mishnah_, three volumes, Amsterdam, 5404, corrected with great care by Manasseh Ben-Israel, Teacher of the Law and Preacher, and published by Eliahu Aboab.¹ In this edition we see mere corrector’s work. As we gather from the preface, manuscripts of the _Mishnah_ were brought from “the town which is full of Scholars and writers, _Safed_ in the Land of _Israel_, may God rebuild it soon!” ¹ יעקב ספיר איש ירושלים is inscribed on the preliminary leaves of the British Museum copy. He was known as _Eben Sappir_, _Rabbi_, Author and Traveller. Born in Russia 1822 and died in _Jerusalem_ 1886. In the course of our inquiry we shall show that Manasseh was in close touch with the Holy Land; here attention is called only to the fact that in this editorial work Manasseh was actuated by a desire to compare the various manuscripts. These _Mishnaioth_ are a wonderful pocket edition, containing the text without any commentary, and evidently destined for repetition. _Talmud_ students will find here a good many instructive variants.