In his preface to _Nishmath Chayyim_ he makes this statement in a more general form, saying that “wherever he quoted the non-Jewish authorities, he wanted only to show that most of their teachings were derived from our ancient sources.” He repeats that “Pythagoras was a Jew, and all he taught and wrote was copied from our Holy Law and true Tradition” (_fol. 171a_), and that “Plato had learned the teachings of our prophet _Jeremiah_” (_fol. 171b_) (_fl._ 3298 _a.m._). Not that he was lacking in love and consideration for other nations. Far from it: on the contrary, he lays stress upon the sentence of the _Mishnah_, that the pious men even of heathen nations have their share in the future life, inasmuch as they observe the Seven Commandments of the _Noahides_; and, needless to say, he highly respected Christianity, and was practically the first _Hebrew_ author who quoted so often and with such great reverence the authority of the Christian Church. Even when he speaks of the Spanish Inquisition, of which his father was one of the tortured victims, no word of contempt or hostility escapes his pen, although, living in Holland, and dealing almost exclusively with the adherents of the Reformation, he could have expressed his ideas on this subject quite frankly. But, nevertheless, he is convinced that “God gave to the _Israelitish_ soul a very special grace, by which it is enabled to feel his sensible presence,” that “the _Israelites_ are and have to remain a distinct nation, having essentially the prerogative of sanctifying life,” and he continually quotes and illustrates the Biblical verses:―― “... Blessed be ... Israel, Mine inheritance” (Isaiah xix. 25). “... Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;...” (Jeremiah x. 16). “And who is like Thy people, like Israel, a nation one in the earth,...” (2 Samuel vii. 23). as well as several passages of the _Zohar_, which emphasize the particular dignity of the Jewish soul, and _R._ Judah (1085(6)‒_post_ 1140) _ben_ Samuel Ha’levi’s [Abu al-Hasan al-Lawi] well-known views, expounded in the _Kuzari_ (_chap._ i., _par._ 46):―― “The Israelites are favoured, for God gives them holy souls.” This sentence from the _Zohar_ is the keynote of Manasseh’s teachings, and his favourite phrase when he speaks of all _Israel_ is, “... shall ... surname himself by the name of Israel” (Isaiah xliv. 5).