Rare first edition of an introduction to the Hebrew language for young school children, oriented toward the advancement of religious study, by Hartog Sommerhaussen (1781-1853). Although he and the publisher Moses Cohen Belinfante were members of the (sephardic) Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam, the book was also intended for the "German" (ashkenazic) community, sometimes noting differences in pronunciation between the two groups. Although the main text is in Dutch, the pages progress from right to left as in a Hebrew book.
Sommerhaussen chose to publish the book in two parts. The first part contains three numbered sections, introducing the alphabet, with the name, pronunciation and associated number of each letter; explains the vowel points; and provides spelling exercises with words of one syllable. The second part continues with two numbered sections providing spelling exercises for multisyllable words; and reading exercises. An appendix provides a list of the Hebrew words used in the book with their Dutch equivalents.
With the fore-edge margin of the first title-page slightly dirty and one or two very minor spots, but still internally in very good condition. The spine of the wrappers is almost entirely lost and the sewing somewhat loose, but the wrappers are further in good condition, with only slight wear and slightly dirty. Hedendaagsche vaderlandsche bibliotheek, ... voor het jaar 1811 (1811), pp. 132-137; KVK & WorldCat (2 compl. copies & 2 copies of part 2 alone); Saakes V (1810), p. 158.