Mishnayoth. Vocalized text based upon emendations by Yom Tov Lipman Heller and Solomon Adeni plus a dictionary of difficult words

(MISHNAH).

Joseph ben Israel for Menasseh ben Israel

Amsterdam

1646

Two parts in one volume. Two title pages each within woodcut architectural border

Vinograd, Amsterdam 107; Fuks, Amsterdam 180

The task of vocalization of this Mishnah edition was begun by Menasseh ben Israel and completed by Jacob ben Judah Abraham de Leon. The first vocalized edition of the Mishnah appeared three years prior to this in Constantinople. USE THIS NOTE FOR NEXT TIME: The introduction by Menashe ben Israel elaborates on the need for “Nekudoth” with proper grammatical vocalization. He states that after he completed a few tractates he was approached by Jacob Judah de Leon who completed the vocalization and added a preface. An earler vocalized edition of the Mishnah was published in Constantinople, 1643. Menashe ben Israel, however, decided to properly vocalize it himself to “open a gate” for the benefit of students. Although the title page calls the second order of the Mishnah “Zemanim”, on f. 34b he reverts to the traditional nomenclature “Moed”.