Bidspirit auction | Chamisha Chumshei Torah and Five

Chamisha Chumshei Torah and Five Megillos – Venice, 1551 * An early and impressive edition of the Chamisha Chumshei Torah with the Five Megillos. On the inner side, the Biblical text is printed, vowelized, and with cantillation. On the left side, there is a Latin translation: Hebraicus Pentateuchus Latinus. The entire sefer is printed from left to right, with the title page on the left side. Printed by the famous Venetian printer Marco Giustiniani, who at that very time was embroiled in a dispute with the printer Bragadin over the rights to print the Rambam in Venice. During the conflict, one of the parties informed the authorities about the other, and ultimately, the decree on the “Burning of the Talmud” was issued in 1554. On the final leaf, a large illustration of the site of the Beis Hamikdash is printed across the entire page; it serves as the printer's emblem. Editions of this type were generally intended for Hebraist scholars who wished to study the Torah in its original Hebrew rather than through the Latin Vulgate. The Latin text in this edition was printed here for the first time, and it is written that it was “ad Hebraicam veritatem conformatus” [free translation: according to the Hebrew truth]. It is also written in Latin on the title page that the sefer contains fine explanations from the commentaries of the rabbanim, printed in Latin on some of the leaves. Venice, 1551. Page Count: [CCVIII], 209–376, [2] leaves. Condition : Good. Hole along part of the leaves. Stains and minor tears at the bottom of some leaves. Impressive parchment binding. Provenance : William Gross Collection, Tel Aviv.