Isaac Leeser - Revision history

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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeser, Isaac}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeser, Isaac}}

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Works

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Protected "Isaac Leeser" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

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References

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	==References==		==References==
	~~{{JewishEncyclopedia}}~~

	*[[Cyrus Adler\|Adler, Cyrus]] and [[Mayer Sulzberger\|Sulzberger, Mayer]], "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=L&search=Leeser Isaac Leeser]", ''Jewish Encyclopedia'', Funk & Wagnalls (1901-1906).		*[[Cyrus Adler\|Adler, Cyrus]] and [[Mayer Sulzberger\|Sulzberger, Mayer]], "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=L&search=Leeser Isaac Leeser]", ''Jewish Encyclopedia'', Funk & Wagnalls (1901-1906).
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	*Sussman, Lance J., ''Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism'', Wayne State University Press (1995).		*Sussman, Lance J., ''Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism'', Wayne State University Press (1995).
	*[[Yosef Goldman\|Goldman, Yosef]], ''Hebrew Printing in America'', YGBooks, 2006.		*[[Yosef Goldman\|Goldman, Yosef]], ''Hebrew Printing in America'', YGBooks, 2006.

	==External links==		==External links==

Nick: New page: Isaac Leeser '''Isaac Leeser''' (December 12, 1806, Neuenkirchen, in the province of Westphalia, Prussia - [[F...

2009-09-06T05:44:02Z

New page: thumb|right|Isaac Leeser '''Isaac Leeser''' (December 12, 1806, Neuenkirchen, in the province of Westphalia, Prussia - [[F...

New page

[[Image:Isaac Leeser.jpg|thumb|right|Isaac Leeser]]
'''Isaac Leeser''' ([[December 12]], [[1806]], [[Neuenkirchen]], in the province of [[Westphalia]], [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] - [[February 1]], [[1868]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[rabbi]], author, translator, editor, and publisher; pioneer of the [[Jew]]ish pulpit in the United States, and founder of the Jewish press of America. He produced the first Jewish translation of the [[Bible]] into [[English language|English]] to be published in the United States. He is considered one of the most important American Jewish personalities of the nineteenth century America.

==Early life==
Educated at the [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] of [[Münster]], Leeser was well-grounded in [[Latin]], [[German language|German]], and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]. He also studied the ''[[Talmud]]'' tractates ''[[Moed]]'', ''[[Bava Metzia]]'', and portions of ''[[Kodashim]]'' and ''[[Bava Batra]]'' under Hebrew masters. At the age of seventeen he emigrated to America, arriving at [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]], in May, 1824. His uncle, Zalma Rehiné, a respected merchant in that city, sent Leeser to a private school but after ten weeks the school closed, and for the next five years Leeser was employed in his uncle's [[wiktionary:countinghouse|counting-room]]. Although his circumstances were inhospitable for the growth of his Jewish knowledge, Leeser showed his bent by voluntarily assisting the ''[[hazzan]]'' to teach religion on Saturdays and Sundays and also by defending [[Judaism]] in the public press from time to time when it was assailed.

==Elected at Philadelphia==
In 1828, an article in the ''London Quarterly'' reflecting on the Jews was answered by Leeser in the columns of the ''Richmond Whig'', and the reply attracted the attention of the Jewish communities of Richmond and Philadelphia. About that time Abraham Israel Keys, ''hazzan'' of [[Congregation Mikveh Israel]] in Philadelphia, died. Leeser was induced to accept the congregation's invitation to serve as his successor. His own view of the situation is given in a letter written by him six years later to [[Solomon Hirschell|Rabbi Solomon Hirschell]] of [[London]]: "Knowing my own want of proper qualification, I would never have consented to serve, if others more fitting in point of standing, information, or other qualities had been here; but this not being the case (as is proved by there being yet two congregations at least in this country without a regular ''hazzan''), I consented to serve."

In August, 1829, Leeser went to Philadelphia with the manuscript of his first book ("The Jews and the Mosaic Law"). He also brought fresh ideas about his new job. Up to that time the role of a ''hazzan'' in America had been merely to lead the congregation in Hebrew prayers. There was, however, a new movement in Europe. In [[Hamburg]], Rabbi [[Gotthold Salomon]] had broken new ground by delivering a [[sermon]] in German. Preaching in German soon became the norm in Reform [[synagogue]]s, and even some conservative rabbis, such as [[Isaac Bernays]], had begun to deliver sermons in the vernacular. This movement had inspired Leeser, and he hoped to transform the [[lectern]] into the [[pulpit]].

On [[June 2]], [[1830]], Leeser delivered his first English sermon, and thereafter he preached with regularity, though on [[wiktionary:sufferance|sufferance]] only, until [[June 18]], [[1843]], when the congregation formally accepted the sermon as regular. Leeser's practice of delivering sermons on a regular basis was ultimately adopted by American congregations, and preaching became one of the standard duties of Jewish clergyman.

==Publishing==

The scarcity of books concerning the Jewish religion emphasized the fact that there was no American Jewish publisher. Having translated Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'', Leeser issued in the winter of 1829-30 proposals to publish it and ''The Jews and the Mosaic Law''. When no offers were forthcoming, he became his own publisher.

In 1845, Leeser published a Hebrew-English edition of the ''[[Torah]]'' in five volumes; the English translation was his own. It was the first such translation in the United States, and it became the standard Bible for English-speaking Jews during the nineteenth century.

Three years later, Leeser published a [[mesorah|masoretic]] Hebrew edition of the ''[[Tanakh]]'', ''Biblia Hebraica'', in cooperation with Joseph Jaquett, a local [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopalian]] minister. It was the first of its kind to be printed in America.

In 1853, Leeser completed his English translation of the entire ''Tanakh'', commonly called ''The Leeser Bible''. In 1857 he issued a second (folio-size) edition of this Bible.

==Later career==
Leeser retired from [[Congregation Mikveh Israel]] in 1850. He did not take office again until 1857, when the newly formed Congregation Beth-El-Emeth in Philadelphia called him, and he remained its leader until his death.

When Leeser commenced his public career, there were approximately 12,000 to 15,000 scattered Jewish individuals and members of congregations in the United States. He helped to mold them into a community in part by the pulpit and in part by the press.

Leeser participated in nearly all the Jewish activities in the United States — examples include the first [[Jewish day school]]s, the first Jewish [[seminary]], the first Jewish publication society. ''[[The Occident and American Jewish Advocate]]'', Leeser's monthly magazine, acquired an international reputation; [[Jewish history in Philadelphia#Maimonides College and Jews' Hospital|Maimonides College]], of which he was provost, paved the way for future Jewish seminaries in the United States; the Jewish Publication Society he founded is the predecessor of today's [[Jewish Publication Society of America]]; and his translation of the Bible became an authorized version for English-speaking Jews around the world.

==Works==
Leeser published the following works, including his own books, his translations, and books by other authors.

* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, 1830)
* ''The Jews and the Mosaic Law'' (1833)
* ''Discourses (2 volumes, 1837)
* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (6 volumes, 1837)
* ''Hebrew Spelling-Book'' (1838)
* ''Catechism'' (1839)
* ''The Claims of the Jews to an Equality of Rights'' (1841)
* ''Discourses'' (1841)
* ''The Occident and American Jewish Advocate'', a monthly magazine (1843—1868)
* ''The Pentateuch (Hebrew and English)'' (5 volumes, 1845)
* ''Daily Prayers, German Rite'', with Leeser's English translation (1848)
* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') ([http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 4to], 1853)
* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') (Second edition, [http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 18mo], 1857)
* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (Second edition, 7 volumes, 1857)
* ''The Dias Letters'' (1859)
* ''The Inquisition and Judaism'' (1860)
* ''Meditations and Prayers'' (1864)
* [[Grace Aguilar]], ''[[The Jewish Faith]]'' (1864)
* Grace Aguilar, ''[[Spirit of Judaism]]'' (1864)
* ''Collected Discourses'' (10 volumes, 1867)
* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, second edition, 1867)

In addition, Leeser translated Joseph Schwarz's ''Geography of Palestine'' and, with Jaquett, published an edition of the Hebrew Bible.

==References==
{{JewishEncyclopedia}}

*[[Cyrus Adler|Adler, Cyrus]] and [[Mayer Sulzberger|Sulzberger, Mayer]], "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=L&search=Leeser Isaac Leeser]", ''Jewish Encyclopedia'', Funk & Wagnalls (1901-1906).
*Comay, Joan, ''Who's Who in Jewish History'', Oxford University Press (1974). pg 118.
*[[Yitzchak Levine|Levine, Yitzchok]], "[http://www.jewishpress.com/page.do/20061/Hooked_On_American_Jewish_History.html Glimpses Into American Jewish History]", ''[[The Jewish Press]]'', [[December 6]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[May 5]], [[2007]].
*Sussman, Lance J.. 1985. "Another look at Isaac Leeser and the first translation of the Jewish Bible in the United States. ''Modern Judaism'' 5.2: 159-190.
*Sussman, Lance J., ''Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism'', Wayne State University Press (1995).
*[[Yosef Goldman|Goldman, Yosef]], ''Hebrew Printing in America'', YGBooks, 2006.
==External links==

*[http://www.theoccident.com/Occident/index.html The Occident and American Jewish Advocate]: contains many of Leeser's works, including
**[http://www.theoccident.com/mosaic/index.html''The Jews and the Mosaic Law''] and
**[http://www.theoccident.com/catechism/Default.htm ''Catechism for Jewish Children'']

==See also==
*[[Jewish English Bible translations]]
*[[Jewish history in Philadelphia]]
*[[Relationship of American Jews to the U.S. Federal Government (pre-20th century)]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeser, Isaac}}
[[Category:1806 births]]
[[Category:1868 deaths]]
[[Category:Bible translators]]
[[Category:American Orthodox rabbis]]
[[Category:German rabbis]]
[[Category:19th-century rabbis]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:23, 26 February 2010
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	Leeser published the following works, including his own books, his translations, and books by other authors.		Leeser published the following works, including his own books, his translations, and books by other authors.

	* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, 1830)		* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, [[1830 AD\|1830]])
	* ''The Jews and the Mosaic Law'' (1833)		* ''The Jews and the Mosaic Law'' ([[1833 AD\|1833]])
	* ''Discourses (2 volumes, 1837)		* ''Discourses (2 volumes, [[1837 AD\|1837]])
	* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (6 volumes, 1837)		* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (6 volumes, [[1837 AD\|1837]])
	* ''Hebrew Spelling-Book'' (1838)		* ''Hebrew Spelling-Book'' ([[1838 AD\|1838]])
	* ''Catechism'' (1839)		* ''Catechism'' ([[1839 AD\|1839]])
	* ''The Claims of the Jews to an Equality of Rights'' (1841)		* ''The Claims of the Jews to an Equality of Rights'' ([[1841 AD\|1841]])
	* ''Discourses'' (1841)		* ''Discourses'' ([[1841 AD\|1841]])
	* ''The Occident and American Jewish Advocate'', a monthly magazine (~~1843—1868~~)		* ''The Occident and American Jewish Advocate'', a monthly magazine ([[1843 AD\|1843]]—[[1868 AD\|1868]])
	* ''The Pentateuch (Hebrew and English)'' (5 volumes, 1845)		* ''The Pentateuch (Hebrew and English)'' (5 volumes, [[1845 AD\|1845]])
	* ''Daily Prayers, German Rite'', with Leeser's English translation (1848)		* ''Daily Prayers, German Rite'', with Leeser's English translation ([[1848 AD\|1848]])
	* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') ([http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 4to], 1853)		* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') ([http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 4to], [[1853 AD\|1853]])
	* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') (Second edition, [http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 18mo], 1857)		* ''The Twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures'' (''The Leeser Bible'') (Second edition, [http://www.the-bookman.com/main/BookSizes.html 18mo], [[1857 AD\|1857]])
	* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (Second edition, 7 volumes, 1857)		* Portuguese prayers, with Leeser's English translation (Second edition, 7 volumes, [[1857 AD\|1857]])
	* ''The Dias Letters'' (1859)		* ''The Dias Letters'' ([[1859 AD\|1859]])
	* ''The Inquisition and Judaism'' (1860)		* ''The Inquisition and Judaism'' ([[1860 AD\|1860]])
	* ''Meditations and Prayers'' (1864)		* ''Meditations and Prayers'' ([[1864 AD\|1864]])
	* [[Grace Aguilar]], ''[[The Jewish Faith]]'' (1864)		* [[Grace Aguilar]], ''[[The Jewish Faith]]'' ([[1864 AD\|1864]])
	* Grace Aguilar, ''[[Spirit of Judaism]]'' (1864)		* Grace Aguilar, ''[[Spirit of Judaism]]'' ([[1864 AD\|1864]])
	* ''Collected Discourses'' (10 volumes, 1867)		* ''Collected Discourses'' (10 volumes, [[1867 AD\|1867]])
	* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, second edition, 1867)		* Joseph Johlson's ''Instruction in the Mosaic Religion'' (translated by Leeser, second edition, [[1867 AD\|1867]])

	In addition, Leeser translated Joseph Schwarz's ''Geography of Palestine'' and, with Jaquett, published an edition of the Hebrew Bible.		In addition, Leeser translated Joseph Schwarz's ''Geography of Palestine'' and, with Jaquett, published an edition of the Hebrew Bible.