Ben-Yehuda's Dictionary – Author’s Copy, with Numerous Corrections and Additions Handwritten by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda

Ben-Yehuda's Dictionary – Author’s Copy, with Numerous Corrections and Additions Handwritten by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda
Milon HaLashon HaIvrit Baz'man Haze, [Eliezer Ben-Yehuda]. [Hahashkafa Printing Press, Jerusalem, ca. 1900]. [First four parts, letters א-אין].
First edition, "Mahadura Kama", of the dictionary, printed in parts between the years 1900-1905, with corrections and additions for the third edition.
On the margins, Ben-Yehuda added, in his handwriting, numerous corrections and comments, changes and additions, in preparation for the printing of the third edition of the first part.
Most comments in the volume offered here are additions of references, sources, quotations and examples from Hebrew literature throughout the generations, as Ben-Yehuda used to do extensively in all of the dictionary's volumes. In addition appear corrections of Nikud (vowelization), shifts, deletions or other changes.
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (1858-1922) pioneer of Hebrew speech and the study of Hebrew; the driving spirit behind the revival of the Hebrew language. Ben-Yehuda spread his ideas through his newspaper, founded "Va'ad HaLashon" and composed the "Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Herbrew", which is considered his lifetime endeavor. The dictionary was published gradually during the years 1908-1959; the complete dictionary consists of sixteen volumes, with the addition of an introductory volume. The first five volumes were printed prior to World War I and were the only ones published before Ben-Yehuda's death. Ben-Yehuda did edit the sixth and seventh volumes prior to his death, and they were printed posthumously. The eighth and ninth volumes were edited by Moshe Tsvi Segal, while the remaining volumes, including the introduction, were edited by Naftali Hertz Torczyner (Tur-Sinai).
The fact the Ben-Yehuda's dictionary included many excerpts and examples from Jewish sources, as evident in the volume offered here, was criticized by many, including Bialik who claimed in his discourse "LeShe'elat HaTarbut HaIvrit" that "you can speak about Ben- Yehuda’s dictionary not as a dictionary consisting of 12 volumes but as a dictionary of three volumes only, since the scope is artificial and not necessary. Each word is accompanied by verses, not emphasizing the meaning but adding to the number of volumes” (Devarim She-beal-pe. A. Tel-Aviv, 1935, pp.108-109). Ben-Yehuda was aware of these accusations, and wrote in the introduction to the volume offered here: “I introduced proof for each and every meaning, wherever I believed that this sheds more light on this particular word and on the way that it is used, and I was not afraid that the reader would find one of the biblical, Talmudic or Midrashic examples redundant, as I believed that I would rather sin by adding than have the dictionary lack even once. This I did just like composers of important dictionaries in other languages”.
[4], 8-26; 168 pp, 26 cm. Fair-good condition. No title-wrappers. Stains to some leaves, some dark. Tears at margins of leaves; rough tears to last two leaves. Dry and fragile paper. Worn cardboard binding, torn and loose.
Exhibition: “Avnei Safa”. Beit Kaner. Municipal Art Gallery, Rishon LeZion, 2014.
Provenance:
1. Estate of Aryeh Leib Halevi Horowitz (1862-1906), scholar and Zionist activist, one of the first Hebrew teachers in Eretz Israel, one of the initiators of the Teachers’ Association in 1892, librarian in “Sha’arey Zion” library; a friend of Ben-Yehuda.
2. Estate of his son, Romamti Ezer Horowitz (1896-1925), secretary of Anglo-Palestine Bank in Jaffa and secretary of the Bank’s directors, Zalman David Levontin and Eliezer Hufien.
Literature: “Perakim Betoldot Hamilonut HaIvrit Hachadasha – Ma’amar Sheini: Milon Ben-Yehuda”, by Reuven Mirkin. In: Leshonenu, 54, (1990), pp. 311-323.