Bomberg, Daniel

List of Bomberg's Hebrew Works. "Tefillot Latini." Italian Jewish Prayers Printed in Hebrew Characters, Bologna, 1538.(In the Library of Columbia University.)

Christian printer and publisher of Hebrew works; born at Antwerp; died at Venice in 1549. After having learned from his father, Cornelius, the art of printing and of type-founding, he went to Venice, where, from 1517 to 1549, he published many editions of Hebrew works, including the following: The editio princeps of the "Biblia Rabbinica" (), the Hebrew Bible with commentaries and three Chaldaic versions or Targumim; the first Hebrew Bibles; editions of and commentaries on the Pentateuch and other Biblical books; many grammatical and lexicographical works; philosophical and ethical treatises; rituals; Mekilta; Sifra; Sifre; parts of the Mishnah; several Midrashim; and, under the auspices of Pope Leo X., the first complete editions of the Babylonian Talmud (with the commentaries of Rashi, Tosafot, and R. Asher b. Jehiel) and the Jerusalem Talmud. In the selection and editing of works to be printed he was assisted by Ḥiyya b. Meïr (for Isserlein), Baruch Adelkind (for Colon), and Jacob b. Ḥayyim (for the Talmud), and others. The following is an approximatelycomplete list of the Hebrew works issued by Bomberg, in chronological order:

Biblia Rabbinica, ed. i., 4 parts| 1516-17  
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Hafṭarot| 1516-48  
Bible, ed. i| 1517  
Psalms, ed. i| 1518  
Prayer-Book of Roman Ritual| 1519  
Joseph Colon's Responsa| 1519  
Israel Isserlein,  | 1519  
"Liḳḳute Pardes" (extracts from various authors)| 1519  
Babylonian Talmud, ed. i., 15 vols. (first complete edition)| 1520-23  
Kiddushin| 1520  
Pesahim between| 1520-23  
Bible, ed. ii| 1521  
Alfasi's " Halakot"| 1521-22  
Psalms ed. ii| 1521  
Abot, ed. i| 1521  
Megillat Setarim (Parody on Purim), ed. i.| 1522  
Pentateuch| 1522  
Moses de Coucy, "Sefer fer Miẓwot," ed. i| 1522  
Jacob ben Asher, "Turim"| 1522  
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes, ed. i| 1522  
Moses b. Naḥman, Commentary, "Baba Batra"| 1523  
Isaac Nathan b. Kalonymus, "Meïr Netib"| 1523  
Aaron ha-Levi of Barcelona, "Sefer ha- Ḥinnuk"| 1523  
Miḳeweh Abraham| 1523  
Abraham Saba,  (Novellæ)| 1523  
Recanati on the Pentateuch.| 1523  
Jerusalem Talmud, ed. pr| 1523  
Pentateuch, Megillot, Hafṭarot, ed. i| 1523  
Baruch b. Isaac of Worms, "Sefer ha- Terumah"| 1523  
Solomon b. Adret, Novellæ on Berakot and Ḥullin| 1523  
Psalms, ed. iii| 1524  
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes ed. ii| 1524  
Maimonides, "Yad ha- Ḥazaḳah" (2 vols.)| 1524  
Tefillah (Spanish ritual)| 1524  
Biblia Rabbinica, ed. ii., 4 parts| 1524-25  
Bible, ed. iii| 1525-28  
Abot, ed. ii| 1526  
Mishnah Sukkah| 1526  
Mishnah Ḥullin| 1526  
Babylonian Talmud, 15 parts, second ed.| 1526-48  
Pentateuch, Megillot, Hafṭarot, ed. ii| 1527  
Mishnah Sheḳalim| 1527  
Job and Daniel, ed. i.| 1527  
Elijah Mizraḥi, Commentary on Rashi, i| 1527  
Mishnah Ḳodashim and Toharot| 1528  
Prayer-Book (Karaitic rite)| 1528-29  
Tefillah (German ritual)| 1529  
David Ḳimḥi, "Seferha-Shorashim"| 1529  
R. Nathan ben Jehiel, "'Aruk"| 1531-32  
Pentateuch, ed. ii| 1533  
Psalms, ed. iv| 1537  
Job and Daniel, ed. ii| 1538  
Psalms, ed. v| 1538  
Proverbs, Song, and Ecclesiastes, ed. iii.| 1538  
Eliah Levita "Masoret ha-Masorah"| 1538  
Elias Levita, "Tub Ta'am"| 1538  
Benjamin Ze'eb's Responsa| 1539  
Mishnah Mo'ed Ḳaṭan| 1539  
Pentateuch, Megillot, Hafṭarot, eds. iii.-v| 1543  
Bible, ed. iv| 1544  
Elijah Mizraḥhi, Commentary on Rashi, ii.| 1545  
Mekilta| 1545  
Biblia Rabbinica ed. iii., 4 parts| 1546-48  
Hai Gaon, | 1546  
Pesiḳta| 1546  
Sifre and Sifra| 1546  
Yelamdenu, i. e., Tanḥuma| 1546  
Shoher Tob on the Psalms| 1546  
Moses ibn Habib, "Marpe Lashon"| 1546  
Abraham ibn Ezra,. "Ẓaḥut"| 1546  
Abraham ibn Ezra, "Moznayim"| 1546  
Isaac Arama, Commentary on the Pentateuch| 1546  
"Sha'are Dura"| 1547  
Levi b. Gershon, commentary on the Pentateuch| 1547  
Moses de Coucy, "Sefer Miẓwot," ed. ii.| 1547  
Pentateuch, Megillot, Hafṭarot, ed. v.| 1548  
Baḥya, "Ḥobot ha- Lebabot"| 1548  
Jacob Weil's Responsa| 1549  
His Typography.

Though not actually the father of Jewish typography, as he is sometimes called, Bomberg began a new epoch in that art, and during the latter part of his life had many rivals and imitators even at Venice; these including Francesco Brucello, the two Dei Farri brothers, Marco Antonio Giustiniani, the Bragadini, Jean de Gara, and Zanetto. Some of these having won from Bomberg his ablest assistant, Cornelius Adelkind, acquired considerable wealth in their profession; but Bomberg himself expended so much money on the paper, engravings, and types for which his works were noted, that before his death he had lost almost his whole fortune.

Bibliography:

  * Geiger, Jüd. Zeit. v. 37 et seq.;
  * Steinschneider, in Ersch and Gruber, Encyc. article Jüd. Typographie, xxviii. 43b.



J.M. S.