Jerusalem Talmud, Venice: Daniel Bomberg [1522-24]

66, 84, 66, 51 leaves (15 x 10 in.; 383 x 254 mm). Collation: 1-7⁸, 8¹⁰ =66 leaves; 1-9⁸, 10-11⁶ =84 leaves; 1-7⁸, 8¹⁰ =66 leaves; 1-5⁸, 6⁶, 7⁵= 51 leaves, lacking only the final blank leaf. Four architectural title pages; four large woodcut initial word panels, heading each order; numerous additional woodcut initial word panels, heading each tractate. First title page with central hole repaired; f.1-2 with marginal wear; f. 3 with paper tape and celotape repair, touching text. A few leaves strengthened at gutter. Trace worming, mostly expertly repaired and not affecting text. Edges lightly browned. Twentieth century morocco; worn.

The Jerusalem Talmud is an amalgam of the teachings of the rabbinical academies of Tiberias, Caesarea, and Sepphoris; just like its counterpart, the Babylonian Talmud, the Jerusalem Talmud is essentially the result of rabbinical discussions, and elaboration of the text of, an earlier Mishnaic corpus. The Jerusalem Talmud was compiled in the Land of Israel, though not in Jerusalem, as its name would imply; it is more correctly, though less frequently, referred to as Talmud di-Venei Ma'arava(Talmud of the West.)

The printing of the Jerusalem Talmud was undertaken by Daniel Bomberg during the time period following the completion of the Babylonian Talmud (end of 1522) and prior to his commencing on his edition of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah (July 1654). The edition was based upon the sole extant manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud, known today as the Leiden manuscript, which was written by Jehiel ben Jekuthiel ben Benjamin ha-Rofe in 1289. (Vinograd, Venice 89; Habermann 90.)