Hebrew-Foreign Language Dictionary, Copy that Eliezer Ben-Yehudah Used to Teach the Hebrew Language to his Son ...

Hebrew-Foreign Language Dictionary, Copy that Eliezer Ben-Yehudah Used to Teach the Hebrew Language to his Son Itamar Ben Av"i

Hebräisches und Aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament, Leipzig, 1899. Personal copy of the 'Reviver of the Hebrew Language, ' Eliezer Ben Yehudah, from which he taught Hebrew to his eldest son, Itamar Ben Av"i. There are signatures of the two at the beginning of the book, and also along the book's leaves are exercises in the Hebrew language that the famous father arranged for his son - 'The First Hebrew Youth'! Museum-historic-Zionist item!

A rare one-time glimpse into the parenting and birth of the renewed Hebrew language - a rare and fascinating opportunity to gaze unmediated at how the great linguist compared word for word and created new words from ancient letters. No less interesting is it to see how before our eyes, the 10-year-old youth Itamar, a boy born into the Lithuanian exile, transforms from writing Hebrew in broken letters (in the sheets of the first leaves of the dictionary) - into 'The First Hebrew Youth' who confidently writes lengthy compositions and complete poems in renewed Hebrew.

There is a signed dedication on the first leaf from Eliezer Ben Yehudah to his eldest son: To Ben-Tziyon (the original name of Itamar Ben Av"i), as a memento, 22 Kislev of the year of our exile, 1891, Eliezer." In addition, there are several signed dedications from his son Itamar (Ben Tziyon): "And from me to the municipal library of Netanyah, Ben-Tziyon" (written under his father's dedication). Another dedication on the title page: "To the municipal library of Netanyah, Itamar Ben Av"i." In addition, the leaves of the dictionary are integrated with dozens of comments handwritten by Itamar Ben Av"i, including one comment that is especially curious: "Hearken, Father and Mother in Heaven! The dictionary of our language in Latin letters is complete ... after seven years of labor, with relative quiet in our Land, and without [obituaries] in our newspapers! Baruch HaShem! And may Judea be independent, perhaps already by September."

There are many leaves handwritten by Itama"r Ben Av"i included with the dictionary:

* [9] leaves of word lists in Hebrew and a transcription into Latin letters, in Itamar's script.

* [7] leaves handwritten by Ben Av"i, with literary passages.

* [1] leaf "Chalomi HaRishon" - written by Itamar Ben Av"i.

* [3] telegrams sent by Itamar Ben Av"i to his wife, Leah. USA, 1937.

* [1] poem handwritten by Itamar Ben Av"i

Specifications: The dictionary: 1030, [2] pp. 23 cm. The leaves detailed above are of various sizes. Overall fine condition.