SHIRU LE’ADONAI SHIR HADASH: HYMNS, PSALMS & PRAYERS, IN ENGLISH AND GERMAN שירו ליהוה שיר חדש
Cincinnati, Bloch & Co, 1868. Item #41932
First edition. Original Gilt leather binding, 12mo, 263 pages. All edges glit. Published by Wise as third and last volume of his grand project for American-Jewish liturgy titled "Minhag America", this final volume is a collection of liturgical hymns, psalms and prayers in English and German. Singerman 2109.The original two volumes of the Minhag America prayer book had both been published in 1857, one with Hebrew-English text (Prayer Book for Public and Private Worship) and the other with Hebrew-German text (Gebet-Buch fur den offentlichen Gottesdienst und die Privat-Andacht). Wise here indicates that with this third volume includes additional new writings by Wise and others. Text in English and German on facing pages. Also includes detailed service instructions, religious notes, a table of torah readings and a table of contents. Wise’s Minhag America would become the standard liturgy of American Refom congragations from its original publication until the introduction of the Union Prayer Book in the 1890s. Of the three volumes issued in the 1860s, this Hymnal-Psalter remains the scarcest, far, far less common than the volumes for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kipur, reflecting the centrality in American Reform Judaism of the High Holidays above other forms of daily liturgy. OCLC 39805734. Lacks about half of backstrip (spine covering), but paper remain bright and clean, and the lovely original canary yellow endpapers show only a few marks and rubbing marks. Previous owner’s name stamp on front white end paper. About Very Good Condition with worn spine. A colleague offers a copy for $7500.00. Important work, a nice copy. (KH-5-48C).
Price: $2,000.00