Zevach Pesach.

The first printed commentary on the Passover Haggadah. The work contains passages from the Haggadah accompanied by commentary. The essence of the work are 100 questions and answers about Leil HaSeder (the Passover Seder night). Some of the questions were left unanswered.

Don Isaac ben Judah Abarbanel (1437-1508) was a noted statesman, biblical exegete and Jewish philosopher. He was born in Lisbon to one of the most distinguished Iberian Jewish families, who had escaped the massacre in Castile in 1391. He devoted his early years to studies of Jewish Philosophy and Rabbinic literature. He became the chief Rabbi of Portugal. In addition to his high intellectual abilities, he showed a complete mastery of financial matters, which attracted the attention of King Afonso V of Portugal who employed him as treasurer. Using his high position and the great wealth inherited from his father, Abarbanel repeatedly came to the rescue of various Jewish He had passed in Venice and was buried in the Jewish cemetery Padua, which was destroyed in the Siege of Padua in 1509, a year after his passing.

Abarbanel had finalised the writing of Zevach Pesach in Monopoli, on the Passover night of 1496, as stated in the last paragraph of the book. The book was brought to print by Abarbanel's son, Judah (Leone Ebreo), author of Dialogi di Amore, and was published together with two additional works Nahalat Avot and Rosh Emunah. Zevach Pesach (as well as the other two works published by Judah Abarbanel) begins with a poem written by him. His verses for Zevach Pesach begin with words of affection and deep respect for his father. The work proved popular and was repeatedly reprinted and later illustrated.