Der Gantze Jüdische Glaube [The Whole Jewish Belief], by Antonius (Anton) Margaritha. Augsburg: Heinrich Steyner, 1530. German (and some Hebrew). First edition, first issue (March 1530); printing details from the colophon.

An anti–Semitic, polemic work by the apostate Anton Margaritha (1492–1542), a descendant of a well–known family of rabbis in Germany; son of R. Shmuel Margolies Rabbi of Regensburg and grandson of R. Yaakov Margolies Rabbi of Nuremberg. Several in–text woodcuts, including woodcuts depicting Jews at the synagogue (after woodcuts printed in Johannes [Josef] Pfefferkorn's book 'Ich heyß ain büchlein der juden peicht' [Augsburg 1508]).
The work claims to expose the true face of Judaism, mocks Jewish customs and makes serious accusations against the Jews. Margaritha warns his Christian readers against having contact and trading with Jews, cautions them not to consult with Jewish physicians and portrays a negative picture of the Jewish Sabbath and the custom of using a "Sabbath Gentile". One of the worst allegations targets the political loyalty of the Jews, who are portrayed as treacherous subjects and supporters of enemy countries, headed by the Ottoman Empire.
This work deeply affected Martin Luther, who was inspired by it to write his anti–Semitic book "On the Jews and Their Lies".
Alongside its wide influence on anti–Semitism in early modern history, the book is also considered a valuable source of information about the daily life of Jews and their customs during that period. This work includes, among others, the first translation of the Jewish prayer book for a non–Jewish readership (see: Between Judaism and Christianity(ies), between Ethnography and Polemic: Antonius Margaritha's Writing on the Kabbalah in 'The Whole Jewish Belief' [Hebrew], by Daniel Lehmann).
The grim accusations against the Jews made by Margaritha in this book led to a public debate, conducted in 1530 before the Imperial Committee, that convened in the Reichstag of Augsburg, in the presence of Emperor Karl V. Margaritha's opponent in this debate was the well–known Jewish lobbyist Rabbi Joseph ben Gershon of Rosheim (Joseph Loanz). After Joseph ben Gershon refuted Margaritha's claims against the Jews, Margaritha was banished from Augsburg.

[199] pages (gatherings A–Z4, a–b4). 19.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Creases and minor wear. Minor tears. Marginal open tears to final leaves, repaired with paper, with minimal damage to text. Stamps of the Berlin Jewish library on a few leaves. Inscriptions and glosses. New parchment binding.

Exhibition:
• Glaubensfragen: Chatrooms auf dem Weg in die Neuzeit, Ausstellungskatalog des Ulmer Museums und des Museum of the Bible, Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek, David Trobisch and Gabriele Holthuis. Ulm, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2016, p. 66-67.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, NHB.331.