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Isaac Levi
The most influential early 19th century English Haggadah translator nobody has ever heard of
By: Avraham Roos
Website
https://sites.google.com/site/jewishdigitalhumanities/Downhome
Earliest English Haggadah Translations
- 1770 - Alexander - London
- 1794 - David Levi - London
- 1808 - Isaac Levi - London
- 1833 - Haim Barnett - London
- 1837 - S. H. Jackson - New York
First Translators
Alexander
David Levi
Isaac Levi
Haim Barnett
S. H. Jackson
Jackson
Isaac Levi Title Page
https://www.abebooks.com/Service-Two-First-Nights-Passover-Hebrew/14107317249/bd
Isaac Levi's Mistake
Isaac's Blunder
Sinai's Blunder
Sinai Publishing, 1953
Sinai Publishing, 1955
Who was Isaac Levi?
1808 Teacher of Hebrew Language
1831 Professor of English Language
Edited a few Siddurim/ Machzorim (Magna Bibliotheca Anglo-Judaica, Roth 1937)
Lived in Porthmouth around 1810 (Steven Roche)
Was not a Levi
Was married to Esther.
Was offered position of Hebraist to H.R.H. Duke of Sussex.
Isaac died 17 Aug. 1839, (Esther died 14 years before him) Isaac's will mentions 5 children. There is also an infant's early death certificate.
Who was Isaac Levi?
Mendelssohn and his friends in Kensington (R. Gotch, 1934)
Letter 27 Sept.1835 written by Fanny Horsley:
“(on Tuesday 22nd … to the palace, where we saw the Duke of Sussex’s immense collection of Bibles..) We saw a very amusing little old Jew there, Isaac Levi the Duke’s Hebraist, who told us that he corresponded with Moses Mendelssohn, whose translation of the Old Testament he considers superior to Luther’s, though of that he spoke most highly, as well as of ours. We told him that we knew Moses’ son and grandson, and he said he heard the latter was a great musician.”
Duke of Sussex
Changes Isaac Levi made to David Levi
“Possibly, you may think that he is bound to explain this from the first of the month” >
“Possibly you may think that he (the father) is bound to explain this from the first of the month”
“Afikoman” > HEBREW
“Glass of wine” > “Cup of wine”, “To inquire” > “to enquire”
“They set task-masters over them” >
“They set over them task-masters”
From David to Isaac -1
“They built store-cities for Pharao” > “They built for Pharao store-cities”
“judgements” > “judgments”,
“Idolators” > “Idolaters”,
“Marvelous” > “Marvellous”
And exalted us > And didst exalt us
Jordan was driven back > Jordan retreated
Who hath made a distinction between things sacred and profane > Who hath made a distinction between holy and not holy.
Lord > Eternal Blessed be the Lord > Blessed be the Omnipresent
From David to Isaac - 2
Who Asks Mah Nishtana?
Alexander (1770) writes: “Then fill the glass with wine the second time, and say:”
D. Levi (1794) writes: “Then fill the Glass with wine the second time, and take the dish from the table, and say,”
I. Levi (1808) adds: “Then fill the Glass with wine the second time, and take the dish from the table. Then, the youngest in the company asks”
Youngest Child
More Firsts by Isaac
David Levi writes:
"After which they may not eat or drink anything for the remainder of the night except water."
Isaac Levi:
"After which they may not eat or drink any thing for the remainder of the night except water, tea, or coffee."
Coffee
Next Year in Jerusalem
Although Isaac Levi did not translate Echad Mi Yodea and Chad Gadya, he was the first to add an English translation of this longing for Jerusalem in his 1808 Haggadah.