(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

New York

1837

ROY, W. L. A Complete Hebrew and English Critical and Pronouncing Dictionary...Containing all the Words in the Holy Bible....Together with Their Derivation Literal and Etymological Meaning...and Illustrated by Numerous Citations from the Targums, Talmud and Cognate Dialects

Rosenbach 417 (locating only 2 copies)

THE FIRST HEBREW-ENGLISH DICTIONARY PUBLISHED IN AMERICA. AND THE FIRST RABBINIC APPROBATION IN A BOOK PUBLISHED IN AMERICA. Recommendations include one from “The Rabbi of the City of Jerusalem” Enoch Zundel: “Mr. William L. Roy is one of the most critical Hebrew scholars I have met since I left the Holy Land - Gesenius not excepted. The Specimen of his Hebrew Dictionary, in manuscript, I have carefully examined; and, although I differ with the author in opinion as to Masheach, yet, in justice to him, I cannot but say, it is the best specimen of the kind I have seen. It evidently manifests a very extensive knowledge of the Hebrew language. I have no doubt the Lexicon will be a great acquisition to American literature.” In 1833, R. Enoch Zundel traveled to America carrying a letter from Jerusalem addressed to Mordechai Manuel Noah beseeching aid for his impoverished brethren living in the Holy Land. The author of this dictionary, William Roy, translated the letter from Hebrew into English, thus Roy and Zundel became acquainted. Rabbi Zundel made a fine impression upon both his fellow-Jews and equally with the leading Christian clergy of New York. Indeed, during his visit to America, his portrait was engraved - the first published American engraving of a contemporary Jew. See A.J. Karp, From the Ends of the Earth: Judaic Treasure from the Library of Congress (1991) pp. 295-96 (illustrated)