An Essay on Hebrew Eloquence, Exposed in a Practical Lesson by Doctor Anania Coen, First Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Florence

Lesson XIX. On the Means of Forming Good Taste

To truly form a sense of good taste, one must be in full command of the metaphysics of the sacred tongue, something which is so necessary (and which until now has never been dealt with) and about which I have considered, though my current duties do not allow me to pursue the topic at this time. Nonetheless, as we are in Europe and have successfully studied a European language and the rhetoric of that language, so with some example of figures taken from sacred scripture and some good poet of the Hebrew language by observing the nature of the language in the scriptures and its good writers one can easily achieve this even though any European language is very different from any oriental language, especially Hebrew.

For example strength indicates the internal force of man, the word power and the word oz designate strength and valor which are produced by internal force; hence, we find them in the Hebrew phrase to wrap oneself or clothe oneself in strength [Psalm 18:40] but not in force; hence, if one were to say he is girded with strength [Hebrew; from Psalm 93:1] it would not be in good taste because it is not in keeping with the nature of the language. This is why I am robed with strength [Hebrew] or I am girded in strength [Hebrew] is something known externally while it is only internal.

So all that is virtue or vice, as known from the outside, can be brought together by the verbs to clothe oneself, wrap oneself and thus “You are clothed in glory and majesty” [Hebrew; Psalm 104:1] and in similar expressions. In a sonnet from the year 1789 to his Excellence Manin, the last Doge of Venice that I came upon at his coronation, there was this verse, “The wisdom of Solomon was for him a crowning intelligence” [Hebrew] and hence it is said “You have robed me in joy” [Hebrew; Psalm 30:12] because joy is to be seen in facial expression and on the exterior of men. A biblical phrase taken from its sentiment and well applied to this case, and which serves as a worthy example, is “It is not in heaven; we have sinned” [Hebrew, Lamentations 3:42]. Thus, a fine Jewish poet says: “My body is covered with maggots” [Hebrew; Job 7:5]. Two biblical treatises brought together so well demonstrate the fine taste the three authors had. Hence Doctor Ephraim Luzzatto makes the husband speak to the bride in this way: “Bring a veil; cover your face.”

All this shows that it is worth studying the nature of the Hebrew language assiduously in the sacred texts of the prophets and making observations based on the principles of rhetoric (of another language, because we are in Europe). This will contribute easily to cultivating good taste in modern Hebrew poetry and will advise a young beginner that he should not take the liberty to separate himself from the models of writing without first consulting those who know the nature of the language best, namely, the masters.