Tephilloth,

First Hebrew-English prayer book printed in England. In 1770, Alexander Alexander, pioneer of the Hebrew press in London, produced this liturgy according to the Ashkenazic rite in partnership with Benedict Meyers (Jost) of Halberstadt. The first English translation of the daily prayer-book, it was printed on a subscription basis and interestingly, the list of subscribers included many non-Jews.

The translators Alexander and Meyers took note in their preface, that despite the cultural and religious significance of the Hebrew language, 'being imperfectly understood by many, by some not at all, it has become necessary to translate our prayers into the language of the country wherein it has pleased Divine Providence to appoint our lot. They also belittled the earlier attempt at an English translation of a Hebrew prayer-book, which was published in London in 1738 by the apostate Abraham Mears under the pseudonym Gamaliel Ben Pedahzur, titled 'The Book of Religion, Ceremonies, and Prayers…'.

Scarce. ESTC records only four examples at institutions in the British Isles (BL, National Library of Scotland, the Bodleian, and St. Andrews).

First edition; 8vo (17.5 x 11 cm); parallel text in Hebrew and English, occasional old worming, a few small marginal tears; contemporary speckled calf ruled in gilt, light wear, edges rubbed; [1], 213, [16]pp.

Vinograd (London), 60; Roth B8:10; ESTC T181430.