LEVITA, ELL'Aix (Haled, Ben Asher; Ashkenasi = the German, Habachur = the master, H(tmedakdek = the gramrnariau), a Jewish grammarian and exegete, who, though much overrated, still holds a high rank among Hebrew scholars, was b. at Neustadt, on the Aisch, near Nuremberg, in 1470. 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 Levint'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 and biblical works are a Commentary on Job in Verse, a German Translation ofthe Psalms, an Billion of the Psalms with lamela's Commentary, an Edition of the gargum to Proverbs, and of Kimchi's Commentary to Amos. His grammatical works are chiefly
HanunAoreth (Tradition of Traditions), a treatise on the vowel-points, etc., in the Old Testament; Tub Team (Good Judgment), a treatise on accents; Sefer Habaehur or Dikduk (Grammar), besides many minor treatises. In the field of lexicography he leas contributed Meturgeman (= Dragoman), an attempt at a Talmudical and Targnmical dictionary; Tishbi, a complement to Hebrew dictiouaries; Shemoth Deburiln (The Names of Things), a Hebrew-German dictionary; Nimukint, glosses to David Kimchi's Book of Hebrew Roots, etc. Most of Levitit's works have been repeatedly edited and partly translated by Buxtorf, Mithster, Fagius, and others, who owed most of their Hebrew knowledge to Levita exclusively—a fact not generally recognized.