Bikurei Chinuch - Textbook for Learning Hebrew and Fundamentals of Judaism - Amsterdam, 1809 - Hebrew and Dutch

Bikurei Chinuch - Textbook for Learning Hebrew and Fundamentals of Judaism - Amsterdam, 1809 - Hebrew and Dutch
Bikurei Chinuch, Verzameling van Stukken in de Hebreeuwsche en Nederduitsche Talen dienende tot Proeve van Opvoedingsgeschriften en Schoolboeken, book for Jewish youths, for learning Hebrew, the fundamentals of Jewish faith and correct conduct. Amsterdam, 1809. Hebrew and Dutch. Textbook for adolescents, published by Chevrat Chanoch LaNaar Al Pi Darko. Includes a Hebrew-Dutch glossary, letters and various reading passages on the fundamentals of faith and significant events in the history of the Jewish people. Hebrew (vocalized), with Dutch translation - on facing pages. The book was printed as a response to the impact of emancipation on Dutch Jewry, and the Jews' adoption of the local language and culture. The book opens with an interesting foreword, in which the publisher Yaakov Kohen Belinfante describes the tolerance of the Dutch ruler, King Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (in Dutch: Lodewijk Bonaparte, 1778-1846; brother of Napoleon Bonaparte), who proclaimed as he acceded to the throne: "The faculty of actions and science will in my kingdom raise its head, and there is no difference between the various faiths". He also discusses the "the edict regarding the Jews", which discloses Louis Napoleon's desire to 'rectify' the language, culture and education of the Jews. The publisher further describes the difficult state of Jewish education in the Netherlands: "Only one in a thousand children… can read by the time he graduates. The majority attend school for eight or nine years and then graduate aged fourteen not able to translate even one verse of the Torah…". Original blue printed covers, with a list of books by the same publisher, and their prices. A piece of paper is pasted inside the front cover, containing a notice in Dutch from the printer and publisher. This notice is mentioned in the publisher's foreword ("and behold, the number of sheets printed… how much they will cost… and the price… are mentioned in the adjoined notice in Dutch…"). [2], VI, [2], XVI, 55, [1] pages. Good condition. Stains. Stamps. Front wrapper mounted on paper for strengthening. Minor damage to wrappers. Old binding. Not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book.