Religious books for the use of children at home or in school were
unknown in olden times. The Torah was taught, and with it every thing
else. A great part of the Book of Proverbs and many of the Psalms may
have been intended for the education of the young. In the early
post-Biblical time we meet with books like The Wisdom of Solomon, The
Wisdom of Joshua, son of Sirach, and Sayings of the Fathers, which may
have served the same purpose. To these may be added “The Duties of the
Heart,” by Bachya ibn Pekuda, “The Examination of the World” (Bechinath
Olam), “The Choice of the Pearls,” by Ibn Gabirol, Abraham ibn Ezra’s
“Foundation of the Fear of God, and Principle of the Law,” and “The
Book of the Righteous,” by Rabbenu Jacob Tam, and “The Moral Lessons”
(Toaliyyoth) by Rabbi Levi ben Gerson, and “The Shulhan Aruch” of R.
Judah Aryeh di Modena. All these works are excellent books for the
instruction of the young. They inculcate religious lessons, and shew
the way to a pious life, but they are not text books of religion in the
modern sense of the term. This branch of literature began to develop in
the last century, with the exception of Abraham Jaghel’s Lekach-tob,
which was written in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and was
the first Catechism of Jewish Religion. It was composed in the Hebrew
Language and subsequently translated into Latin and English. Since last
century, however, religious books of all sizes, forms and tendencies
have been produced in all countries, especially in Germany. The
following list contains such books as are included in the Jews’ College
Library:—