Talmud Yerushalmi

(TALMUD, JERUSALEM).

Daniel Bomberg

Venice

(1523)

Four parts in one. Three divisional titles. Each title within woodcut architectural border. Opening word of each part within elaborate floral woodcut border-piece. WITH RARE VARIANT TITLE-PAGE

Vinograd, Venice 89; Habermann, Bomberg 90; Mehlman 138; Adams T-111

First Edition Upon Which All Further Editions Are Based. The variant tile-page, without the words “Pithchei Sha’arim” at the head of the arch exists in only one other copy (see Habermann, Bomberg 90, illus). The text of this Yerushalmi edition was compared to three manuscript texts. The most important of these,indeed, the only complete manuscript extant, is the Leiden Manuscript (1289). However, Bomberg’s editor, Jacob ben Chaim ibn Adonyahu (who later converted to Christianity), produced a work somewhat wanting, by omitting key words and phrases, choosing difficult readings and causing confusion with incorrect “corrections.” See Y. N. Epstein, Medikdukei Yerushalmi, in: Tarbiz, vol. V, (1934) p.257; and S. Lieberman, Studies in Palestinian Talmudic Literature (1991) pp.219-229, 236-238