Yiddish at Columbia

Early/Old Yiddish > Yiddish Bible

Torah, Neviʼim u-khetuvim. Page 1 of introduction

p. 1 of introduction

Click here for item information Torah, Neviʼim u-khetuvim. Page 2 of introduction

p. 2 of introduction

Click here for item information Torah, Neviʼim u-khetuvim. First leaf of main text (בראשית)

First leaf of main text

Click here for item information

Torah, Neviʼim u-khetuvim : bi-leshon Ashkenaz

Amsterdam, 1676-1679

B893.1BJ C79

By the mid-17th century, Amsterdam was the undisputed center of Ashkenazi printing. Presses in Poland included “be-otiyot Amsterdam” (after the letters of Amsterdam) to indicate the high quality of their printing.  This Bible was an extraordinary edition, entirely in Yiddish, intended (as with so many Dutch Yiddish books) for export to Eastern Europe. The preface notes that Dutch Yiddish idioms were carefully removed from the translation so Eastern European Jews could easily understand the language (see LCAAJ section for more in distinguishing between Yiddish dialect).  The book also includes approbations of King John Sobieski of Poland and the Council of Four Lands.

Columbia University Libraries / Butler Library / 535 West 114th St. / New York, NY 10027 / (212) 854-7309 / info@libraries.cul.columbia.edu