With commentaries by Moses Maimonides and Obadiah Bertinoro.

(MISHNAH)

& Mantua, Jacob Cohen of Gazolo:

Sabbioneta, Tobias Foa: 1559

1561-2

Six parts bound in six volumes. Each part with own title-page within woodcut architectural border. Numerous woodcut text diagrams at end of Vol. II; two manuscript folding charts in an early hand at end of Vol. III; double-page plan of the Temple, a detailed illustration of the Menorah (f.27r.) and Table and Showbread (f.38r) in Vol. V. Tipped in at end of Vol. II an extra set of variant leaves displaying typographical differences in Seder Moed (ff. 73-76 and ff. 97-100). Some marginalia.

Vinograd, Sabbioneta 50 and Mantua 80; Mehlman 106.

The first two Orders of this edition were printed by Tobias Foa in Sabbioneta; the last four Orders by Jacob Cohen in Mantua. The Hebrew press at Sabbioneta escaped lightly from the storm of Papal condemnation of Hebrew books which was raging at the time in Venice and Rome. Indeed, the Sabbioneta Hebrew press flourished between the years 1551 and 1559, and Hebrew books never previously published - even those treating aspects of Christianity - were issued with considerable freedom. The decree of Pope Paul III in 1553 passed over the city without apparent effect - a tribute to the liberality and culture of the ruling prince of the province. The Mantua volumes were the last books to be typeset by Jacob Cohen of Gazolo before he retired. He had served at the press of Foa in Sabbioneta and came to Mantua in 1556 where he established a reputation for splendid typographical work. See Amram, The Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy, pp. 288-293, 325.