Mikneh Avram (Sepher Dikduk)

BALMES, ABRAHAM DE.

Daniel Bomberg

Venice

1523

FIRST EDITION. Hebrew only (with nekudoth). This Hebrew only issue is far more scarce that the Hebrew-Latin issue

Vinograd, Venice 82; Habermann, Bomberg 75; not in Adams

Distinguished in many fields, de Balmes served as physician to Cardinal Grimani of Venice, was a translator of scientific and philosophical works from Hebrew into Latin as well as a lecturer at the University of Padua where he attained renown as an Aristotelian. Greatly valued by contemporary Christian Hebraists, de Balmes prepared this grammar at the urging of the printer Bomberg, with whom a deep friendship was shared. Mikneh Avram appeared in two issues, with and without a Latin translation - one for the Jewish market and a bi-lingual issue more suited to the needs of Christians. The Hebrew version has a different title-page than the bi-lingual edition and the introduction is printed in Rashi letters as opposed to the Latin version, printed in square letters. This “Jewish” version is far more scarce, as the Christian-owned editions were unlikely to have been desecrated over centuries. See D. Amram, the Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy (1909) pp.169-72