GERONDI, NISSIM

Unlike Venice, only occasional and short lived Hebrew presses arose in Rome, in short, sporadic bursts of activity, marred by assults of ecclesiastical intolerance. The Eternal City of Rome produced only 18 Hebrew books throughout the entire 16th century. Antonio Baldo was granted leave to print Hebrew books in Rome by the Papal Vicar in 1546 and the Responsa of R. Nissim Gerondi was his first endeavor. His Jewish partner, Solomon ben Isaac of Lisbon assisted by Samuel Zarfati did the work of editing, proofing and marketing the books. The press only issued five books in the two years it was opperative. For a chronicle of Hebrew printing in Rome see: D. Amram, the Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy (1909) pp. 235-251. Menachem Recanati was one of the foremost Italian Kabbalists and Halachic authorities of the13th century. For a full appreciation of the importance of the author, see M. Idel, R. Menahem Recanati, Hamekubal (1998) pp. 79-80 quoting Prof. Y. Ta-Shema concerning otherwise unknown scholars cited by Recanati. Later editions of the Piskei Halachoth have been heavily censored, lacking entire chapters. See Y. Lipschitz, Piskei Hilchot Recanati in: Moriah,vol. 8 nos.6-7 (1979) pp.2-9, who compares all editions and notes the most prevalent edition, republished several times, with commentary by Moses Bezalel Luria based on later incomplete editions and not on this first edition of 1538. The majority of the censored material pertains to Gentiles or Jews who have converted to Christianity. it is interesting to note that one of the printers, Isaac Delatesh, responds to a question which lacked a response by Recanati in the manuscript (see responsum no.2, f.10)