Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Yoma – with Rashi and Tosafot, Piskei Tosafot, the Rambam’s commentary on Mishnayot, and Rabbenu Asher.
Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1520. First Edition.
Volume from the first Talmud edition printed by Daniel Bomberg in Venice. This famous edition (The Venice Talmud), the first to comprise the entire Babylonian Talmud, served as prototype for all future Talmud editions. It established the text of the Talmud, the page layout and foliation used until this day.
"Registro" table on final page, listing the gatherings and opening text of each sheet (to facilitate bookbinding).
Babylonian Talmud – Venice, 1520-1523 – The First Complete Printed Edition of the Talmud by the Bomberg Press:
One of the crowning achievements of the Bomberg printing enterprise, and perhaps its greatest accomplishment, was the printing of the Babylonian Talmud. Prior to this, individual tractates of the Talmud had been printed in Spain (before the expulsion) and later by the Soncino family press. However, Bomberg’s edition was the first in which the entire Talmud was printed in its entirety, from the Order of Zera’im to the Order of Taharot. This famous edition, known as the “Venice Printing, ” became the "mother edition" and served as the basis for all subsequent editions of the Talmud.
To facilitate this printing, Bomberg obtained a special license from Pope Leo X and hired Jewish scholars and proofreaders to ensure that the edition was as accurate and complete as possible. They gathered all available manuscripts to create the most precise text possible. This effort included consulting various manuscripts of the Talmud, Rashi’s commentary, the Tosafot, and the Rosh (Rabbi Asher ben Jehiel). As a result, the text of this edition holds great significance. Additionally, unlike the tractates printed earlier by the Soncino press, this edition was almost entirely free of censorship distortions.
This was an enormous project, involving text preparation from manuscripts, proofreading, and printing, and it was completed at an unprecedented speed. In less than three years, from 1520 until Kislev 1523, the entire Talmud was printed in the following order:
In 1520, the following tractates were printed: Berakhot, Shabbat, Yoma, Kiddushin, Sotah, Sanhedrin, Makkot, Avodah Zarah, and Niddah.
In 1521: Beitzah, Chagigah, Moed Katan, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkah, Taanit, Megillah, Ketubot, Gittin, Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, Bava Batra, Shevuot, Horayot, Eduyot, Avot, and Chullin. In 1522: Shekalim, Order Zera’im, Eruvin, Yevamot, Nedarim, Nazir, Menachot, Temurah, Zevachim, Keritot, Bechorot, Arakhin, Order Kodashim with Rambam’s commentary, Order Taharot with Rambam’s commentary, and Hilchot Ketannot of the Rosh. In 1523, between Tishrei and Kislev, the following tractates were printed: Me’ilah, Kinnim, Tamid, Middot, Semachot, Kallah, and Sofrim, thereby completing the printing of the Talmud. The year of printing for Pesachim was not recorded, and it may have been the first tractate printed.
The layout of the pages in the Bomberg edition established the typographical format of the Talmud’s pages ("tzurat hadaf") for future generations. This edition introduced the pagination system still in use in all subsequent Talmud editions, continuing through the Vilna edition and modern prints. However, an exception was the tractate Berakhot in the first edition (present here), where the page layout and numbering differed from the familiar "tzurat hadaf" used today.
As expected from Bomberg’s press, the tractates were printed on high-quality paper, with spacious and clear lettering, and with high-quality ink. A minimalistic title page was added to the beginning of each tractate, and the first word of each tractate was decorated with floral print designs. At the end of most tractates, Piskei Tosafot and Rambam’s commentary on the Mishnah were printed. This edition also introduced, for the first time, Piskei HaRosh at the end of each tractate, a feature that has been included in all subsequent editions of the Talmud.
Habermann, The Printer Daniel Bomberg, no. 20.
97 Leaves (some mispaginated). 33 cm.
Overall Very Good Condition, few stains, minimal worming slightly affecting text, couple marginal repairs, later binding
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