Prayers for Shabbath, Rosh-Hashanah and Kippur..According to the Order of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews. Translated by Isaac Pinto.

(AMERICAN-JUDAICA).

John Holt

New York

1766

FIRST EDITION. English text with Hebrew titles of prayers provided in English transliteration.

The First Complete Jewish Prayer-Book Printed in the New World. As the leaders of the Jewish community in London forbade an English translation, the creation of this work called for some justification. Isaac Pinto states in the introduction: "[Hebrew] being imperfectly understood by many, by some, not at all; it has been necessary to translate our Prayers, in the Language of the Country wherein it hath pleased the divine Providence to appoint our Lot. In Europe, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews have a Translation in Spanish, which as they generally understand, may be sufficient; but that not being the Case in the British Dominions in America, has induced me to Attempt a Translation in English, not without Hope that it will tend to the Improvement of many of my Brethren in their Devotion." Pinto was a member of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, Shearith Israel, the only Jewish Congregation in New York City from 1654 until 1825, which comprised perhaps some 400 Jews. Pinto also was a merchant and teacher of Spanish, his English text here is based on Nieto's Spanish translation. For a pristine copy of the Pinto Siddur sold ($159,000) by Kestenbaum & Company, see Sale 64, Lot 8.