Original Cloth. 12mo. [10, 180] pages. 17 cm. In Hebrew. 'Ha-Bahur' (The Chosen One) , a grammar in the form of a tale for children, by Elijah Levita (1468-1549) : The relatively happy circumstances enjoyed by Elijah at Padua did not long continue. In 1509 the city was taken and sacked by the army of the League of Cambray, and Elijah, losing everything he possessed, had to leave the place. He betook himself to Rome, and having heard of the scholarly and liberal-minded Ægidius of Viterbo, general of the Augustine Order, who was studying Hebrew, he called upon him. This prelate, in exchange for Hebrew lessons from Elijah, offered to maintain him and his family. For thirteen years Elijah remained in the palace of the cardinal, writing works which spread his reputation, giving lessons in Hebrew, and, in turn, taking lessons in Greek from the cardinal. During this period Elijah produced the 'Sefer ha-Bahur, ' a grammatical treatise written at the request of the cardinal, to whom it was dedicated, and first published at Rome in 1518 (2d ed. Isny, 1542, and many subsequent reissues) . As the author explains in his preface, he called the work 'Bahur' because that was his surname, and further because the word denoted both 'youth' and 'excellent. ' The treatise is divided into four parts, each of which is subdivided into thirteen sections, corresponding to the thirteen articles of the Jewish creed; while the total number of sections, fifty-two, represents the numerical value of 'Elijah, ' his name. The first part discusses the nature of the Hebrew verbs; the second, the changes in the vowel-points of the different conjugations; the third, the regular nouns; and the fourth, the irregular ones. ... Elijah Levita (known also as Elijah ben Asher ha-Levi Ashkenazi, Elijah Ba? Ur, Elijah Medakdek, and Elijah Tishbi) : Grammarian, Masorite, and poet; born at Neustadt, near Nuremberg, in 1468; died at Venice Dec. , 1549; author of the 'Baba Buch' and 'Massoret ha-Massoret'. (1906 JE) . Contains the imprimatur of the censor Carolus Fischer; printed on heavy ragpaper. Subjects: Hebrew language - Grammar - Early works to 1800. Oclc lists 14 copies. Light soiling and foxing throughout, original backstrip absent, bottom of back page torn, otherwise clean and fresh. Good condition. (RAB-56-8)
