Levita

Levita, ELIAS, a Jewish grammarian and exegete, was born at Neustadt on the Aisch, near Nuremberg, in 1465. One of the then frequent expulsions of the Jews forced him to seek refuge in Italy, where he held a high position as teacher of Hebrew, first in Venice, next in Padua, finally in Rome (1514). Cardinal Egidio here became his patron and pupil, but even he could not prevent Levita's again being expelled this city, together with his Jewish brethren, in 1527. He then returned to Venice, where he lived for the most part until his death, 1549. His principal exegetical works are on Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, and Amos. Other important works are his Massoreth Hammasoreth, a treatise on the vowel-points; a Hebrew grammar; and a Talmudic and Targumic Dictionary. Most of his works have been repeatedly edited and partly translated by Buxtorf, Münster, Fagius, and others, who owed most of their Hebrew knowledge to Levita exclusively. He is called not only Halevi, but Ashkenasi ('the German'), Habachur ('the master'), &c.