Castillo, Martin del. Arte Hebraispano. Dikduk Lashon Hakodesh Belshon Sepharadith.

The First Hebrew Grammar by an American. No doubt a Marrano, Martin del Castillo was born in Burgos and studied Hebrew under the converso Rabbi Moyses (D. Francisco del Hoyo). He was a Guardian of the Franciscan Convert in Mexico in 1663. His Arte Hebraispano was the first Hebrew grammar by an American. The text was originally approved in 1656 but was not printed until twenty years later because there were no printing facilities in Mexico that could accommodate a book with Hebrew type and so he had to have the work produced in Europe. The author thus remarks; “The distance between Mexico, in the New World, and Lyon, in the Old World, should excuse any writer from the blame that several misprints have occurred.” Hebrew words are pointed and followed by Spanish transliterations. According to Marx; “The book is so rare that the author’s name… is given in Kayserling’s bibliography as Martyr del Castillo with a remark that it is the pseudonym of a Spanish Jew. Neither he nor Steinschneider gave the title of the book correctly.” See: Alexander Marx, Bibliographical Studies and Notes on Rare Books and Manuscripts in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. M. Schmelzer (Ed.) (New York, 1977) p.171. WITH: Two loose sheets of notes on the work: E. F. Gunther, First Hebrew Book Written in the New World. (typescript, c.1930). G. A. Kohut, Bibliographical Notes on Some Rare Americana Hebraica (manuscript)