Between 1622 and 1628, Petachja was the chief rabbi in Frankfurt, and lived in the house Eichel. Little is known of his life and work. He assisted in the printing of the "Book of Prayers" by Rabbi Isaak Lurja Ashkenasi, a fundamental text of Jewish mysticism. He was imprisoned for 23 days, probably in connection with the publication of the book. It had been smuggled into Germany from Palestine, as Juspa Hahn relates in his book "Josef Ometz".