Books and Manuscripts

Leeser, Isaac
The Law of God
Philadelphia: Printed by C. Sherman for the Editor, 5605 (1844-1845). In five volumes. 8vo. First edition in English. Printed in Hebrew and in English, on facing pages. Edited and translated by Leeser. Full contemporary black morocco, elaborately stamped in gilt, front boards of each volume with “M. Nathans” stamped in gilt, expert repairs to joints and tops of spines, spines moderately worn; all edges gilt; yellow endpapers. Rosenbach 569; Singerman 884; Goldman 7

The first Jewish translation of the Torah into English, in an elaborate contemporary binding. Translated and edited by Isaac Leeser, a pioneering figure in Jewish American cultural life who laid the foundations for many of America's key Jewish institutions. Born in Germany, Leeser emigrated to America as a teenager in the hopes of attaining better opportunities. First working for his uncle in Virginia, his rise to prominence in America's Jewish community began following the publication of his article in the Richmond Whig that defended Judaism against an anti-Semitic article published in the London Quarterly. He was subsequently invited to serve as cantor and acting rabbi of Philadelphia’s Sephardic Congregation Mikveh Israel, where he gave hundreds of sermons and where he introduced vernacular preaching. In this capacity and with the opening of Rebecca Gratz's Sunday School, in 1838, Leeser felt compelled to address the lack of proper English translations of Jewish texts for his congregation, and set to work on the current work. With this publication--as well as his translation of the complete Hebrew Bible (1853), his establishment of the magazine, The Occident and American Jewish Advocate (1843-69)--Leeser laid the groundwork for a thriving American Jewish press, and helped give voice to America’s antebellum Jewish community.

This binding is consistent with similar bindings on gift books of the era published and bound by Lippincott. This example with provenance to M. Nathans, likely Moses Nathans (1811-1873), a prominent congregant of Philadelphia's Congregation Mikveh Israel.