Mikraot Gedolot – Venice, 1517 – First Mikraot Gedolot Edition – Printed by Bomberg – Four Volumes – Sabbatian ...

Mikraot Gedolot – Venice, 1517 – First Mikraot Gedolot Edition – Printed by Bomberg – Four Volumes – Sabbatian Gloss in Volume Four

Mikraot Gedolot, Torah, Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim and Ketuvim, with commentaries. Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1517. Four volumes.
First edition of Mikraot Gedolot. This edition marks an important and significant milestone in the history of the printing of the Bible, and is a first major achievement of the printer Daniel Bomberg.
In this edition, the text of the Bible is printed for the first time accompanied by many commentaries (some printed here for the first time). Likewise, this edition includes several important innovations: chapter numbers in Hebrew characters, appearing here for the first time; the division of Shmuel, Melachim, Ezra Nechemiah and Divrei HaYamim into two books; first printing of Targum Yerushalmi on the Torah and first printing of the Targums to the books of Neviim.
The editor of this edition was the apostate Felix Pratensis, and he dedicated it to Pope Leo X (dedication appears in some copies on verso of title page of part I, lacking in the present copy).
Added at the end of vol. IV: Targum Yerushalmi on the Chumash; Targum Sheni on Esther; table of Haftarot according to all customs; Rambam's 13 principles of faith; positive and negative commandments by R. Avraham ibn Hassan HaLevi; Dikdukei HaTaamim by R. Aharon son of Asher; variants between Ben-Asher and Ben-Naftali; and list of eras of each of the 24 books of the Bible.
Leaf at the end of the Book of Tehillim with Radak's commentary, with Radak's anti-Christian comments to Psalms (appears in some copies only).
Glosses by several writers in vol. IV. Particularly lengthy kabbalistic gloss (trimmed) at end of Book of Daniel, dated 1670, with presumably Sabbatian content (mentions the numerical value of "Tishbi Tzvi" – see enclosed material). Includes eschatological calculations for the years 5435-5440 (1674-1680), and the meaning of the final letters.
Many words deleted with ink and scraped off by censor (partially replaced in handwriting). Censor's signatures and inscriptions on final leaf of vol. IV.
Four volumes: Torah: [97] leaves (leaves [37]-[133]). Lacking first 36 leaves and final leaf (blank). Neviim Rishonim: [119] leaves. Lacking final leaf (blank). Neviim Acharonim: [180] leaves. Ketuvim: [233] leaves. Lacking 4 blank leaves (leaf [70] at end of Tehillim, leaf [166] at end of Esther, leaf [214] at end of Divrei HaYamim, leaf [230] after table of Haftarot). Final leaf of Ketuvim, with printing license from Pope dated 1515, not present in this copy. It appears only in copies originally intended for Christians (some include a dedication to the Pope).
Vol. I: 33.5 cm. Vols. II-IV: 35.5 cm. Condition varies. Vols. I and II in fair to fair-good condition. Vols. III and IV in good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Large stains to final leaves of vol. IV. Tears, including open tears affecting text, repaired with paper (with handwritten text replacement on one leaf in last volume). Marginal open tears to many leaves of vol. I, not affecting text. Large marginal open tears to first 12 leaves of vol. II and to other leaves, affecting text in several places, repaired with paper. Title page of vol. II (of different size, presumably supplied from another copy) with extensive worming, detached. Worming affecting text, mostly repaired with paper. Vol. I with old binding, other three vols. with new leather bindings.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.