[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Pentateuch; Haftaroth and Prayers, with English Translation By Isaac Leesser; Book of Genesis. Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, 1913.
[Bound with:]
[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Pentateuch; Haftaroth and Prayers, with English Translation By Isaac Leesser; Book of Exodus. Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, 1913.
[Bound with:]
[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Pentateuch; Haftaroth and Prayers, with English Translation By Isaac Leesser; Book of Leviticus. Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, 1913.
[Bound with:]
[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Pentateuch; Haftaroth and Prayers, with English Translation By Isaac Leesser; Book of Numbers. Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, 1913.
[Bound with:]
[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Pentateuch; Haftaroth and Prayers, with English Translation By Isaac Leesser; Book of Deuteronomy. Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, 1913.
[Bound with:]
[LEESSER, ISAAC (trans.)]. The Sabbath - Morning Prayers. [Published by Hebrew Publishing Company, 50-52 Eldridge St., New York, n.d. (1913)].
Reprint. Six parts in one. Leather-bound. Hardcover. Thick octavo (175 x 120 x 55 mm). Pp. 125; 120; 105; 106; 119; 175 [dual pagination - opposite pages bear duplicate numbering with 1500 pages in total]. Hebrew and English text on facing pages. Each part with a separate title. Bound in handsome contemporary full leather, gilt decorated. All page edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Condition: GOOD. Binding tight, secure and square, the covers well-preserved. Contents lacking the rear endpaper, else complete and very good. A rare early collection in a stunning binding.
Notes: Rare and early bi-lingual edition with the English page facing the Hebrew page. Isaac Leeser was born in Germany in 1806, immigrated to the U.S. at age 17 and died in 868. He was a Jewish lay minister of religion, author, translator, editor, publisher, pioneer of the Jewish pulpit in the U.S., and founder of the Jewish press in America. He produced the first Jewish translation of the Bible into English, and editions of the liturgy. He is one of the most important American Jewish personalities in 19th century America. He defended Judaism in the public press when it was assailed. In 1828, an article in the London Quarterly reflecting on the Jews was answered by Leeser in the columns of the Richmond Whig. Leeser?s reply attracted the attention of the Jewish communities of Richmond and Philadelphia and he was induced to accept the congregation's invitation to serve as lay minister. In 1829 Leeser went to Philadelphia with the manuscript of his first book, "The Jews and the Mosaic Law". He brought fresh ideas about his new job. Up to that time the role of a hazzan in America had been merely to lead the congregation in Hebrew prayers. There was, however, a new movement in Europe. In Hamburg, Rabbi Gotthold Salomon had broken new ground by delivering a sermon in German. Preaching in German soon became the norm in Reform synagogues, and even some conservative rabbis had begun to deliver sermons in the vernacular. This movement inspired Leeser, and he hoped to transform the lectern into a pulpit. On June 2, 1830, Leeser delivered his first English sermon, and thereafter he preached with regularity. Leeser's delivering sermons on a regular basis was ultimately adopted by American congregations, and preaching became one of the standard duties of Jewish clergymen. There was a scarcity of books concerning the Jewish religion and no American Jewish publisher. He translated Johlson's Instruction in the Mosaic Religion and in the winter of 1829-30 tried, unsuccessfully, to publish it, as The Jews and the Mosaic Law. So he self published it. In 1845, Leeser published a Hebrew-English edition of the Torah in five volumes, the English translation being his own. It soon became the standard Bible for English-speaking Jews in the 19th century. 3 years later, Leeser published a masoretic Hebrew edition of the Tanakh, Biblia Hebraica, in cooperation with Joseph Jaquett, a local Episcopalian minister. It was the first of its kind to be printed in America. In 1853, Leeser completed his English translation of the entire Tanakh, commonly called The Leeser Bible. He retired from Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1850, but took office again in 1857, when the newly formed Congregation Beth-El-Emeth in Philadelphia called him, and he remained its leader until his death. When Leeser commenced his public career, there were approximately 15,000 scattered Jews in the U.S., some members of congregations. He mold them into a community in part through the pulpit, in part by the press. He participated in nearly all the Jewish activities in the United States: the first Jewish day schools, the first Jewish seminary, the first Jewish publication society, etc. The Occident and American Jewish Advocate, Leeser's monthly magazine, acquired an international reputation; Maimonides College, of which he was provost, paved the way for future Jewish seminaries in the United States; the Jewish Publication Society he founded is the predecessor of today's Jewish Publication Society of America; and his translation of the Bible became an authorized version for English-speaking Jews around the world.
