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BOOK II THAT which I have written and shall write comes from my troubled heart after the death of your father, peace unto him. He was our faithful shepherd. Surely because of our sins God took him to Himself. While I am yet in good health I shall with God's help, leave all in seven small books. I shall begin with my birth. It was in the year of Creation 5407 [1646-47], I think, in Hamburg, that my pure, pious mother, with the help ofmerciful God, brought me into the world. And though our Sages have well said, it were better that man had not been born because man must suffer much, I thank and praise my Creator who has made me according to His will.1 [One page is kere missing from tke manuscript. The missing page apparently described tke household and charity ojGlilckel'sparents.] •.. (whoever) came into the house hungry, went out satisfied. He had his daughters taught religious and worldly things. I was born in Hamburg and as my parents and others told me, I was not yet three when Jews were driven thence' and went to Altona which then belonged to the King of Denmark, where they enjoyed many privileges. Altona is about a quarter of an hour's distance from Hamburg. Some twenty-five Jewish families lived there at that time and had a synagogue and cemetery.s They lived there for a time and through the efforts ofprominent men of the Community obtained permits to trade in the town. Each was valid for one month and cost one ducat, and had to be renewed at the end of the month. But the four weeks were always eight because they knew the burgomaster and the officials. Still, it was a very hard life especially for the poor and needy, who risked going without a pass; ifthey were caught they 1 This quotation is in reality from the morning prayers and is recited by women only as an offset to that by men who say: 'Blessed be He who has not made me a woman.' I On 16 August 1648. the Council of Aldermen issued an order expelling all GermanJews (HochdeutscheJuden) from Hamburg. SThe cemetery first used in 1621 was closed in 1872. 13 'THE SWEDE IS COMING!' were imprisoned. This meant ransoming them and called for much expense and trouble before they were released. In the mornings, as soon as the men came from the sYnagogue, they went to town, returning to Altona towards evening when the gates were closed. When they passed through the gates their lives were in continual peril from attacks by sailors, soldiers and all sorts ofhooligans. Each woman thanked God when her husband returned safely home. Counting those that had come from Hamburg, there were at that time about forty householders. There were then no very wealthy men and each earned his living in an honest way. Chaim Furst, peace unto him, possessor of 10,000 reichstaler, was the wealthiest; my father, peace unto him, had 8000, and there were others with 6000, some 3000-all lived well and at peace with one another; even people who possessed only 500 taler were content with their portion, not as the wealthy of these days, who are never content. Of them it has been said: No person before he dies receives half his desires.1 I remember my father as a God-fearing man, without equal. Though he suffered from gout he brought his children to good positions and settled us all comfortably. When I was about ten there was a war between the Swedes and Danes.· I cannot write much of it as I was in Ckede,s all day. The winter that year was the coldest for fifty years and is still known as the Swedish winter. Everything was so frozen that the Swedes were able to come right into Altona. Suddenly, one Sabbath day, the cry arose, 'The Swede is coming!' It was early. We were still in bed. We sprang up, halfclad as we were, and rushed into the town seeking help from the Sephardi Jews' and partly from the citizens. We were refugees for a short while. 1 Talmud. 8 Charles Gustav X of Sweden, after defeating Poland, moved against the Danes, with whom the Poles were in alliance. Advancing to attack South Jutland, via Schleswig-Holstein, in the very severe winter of 1657-8, the Swedish army performed the astounding feat of crossing the...

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