thumb|Babylonian Talmud; 2d edition; printed by Daniel Bomberg, Venice.
Daniel Bomberg ( – ) was one of the most important early printers of Hebrew books. A Christian Hebraist who employed rabbis, scholars and apostates in his Venice publishing house, Bomberg printed the first Mikraot Gedolot (Rabbinic Bible) and the first complete Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, based on the layout pioneered by the Soncino family printers, with the commentaries of Rashi and of the Tosafot in the margins. The editions set standards that have been followed in the subsequent five centuries, in particular the pagination of the Babylonian Talmud. In addition to secular works, his publishing house printed about 200 Hebrew books, including Siddurim, responsa, codes of law, works of philosophy and ethics and commentaries. He was the first Hebrew printer in Venice and the first non-Jewish printer of Hebrew books. Van Bombergen was a merchant and sent his son to Venice to help with the family business. There Daniel met Felix Pratensis (Felice da Prato), an Augustinian friar who had converted from Judaism, and who is said to be the one who encouraged Bomberg to print Hebrew books. Other sources, likely equally exaggerated, claim that he lost at least as much. He returned to Antwerp in 1539, though his press continued to operate until 1548, and it seems he retained some level of involvement throughout. Very little is known about the circumstances of his death some time between 1549 and 1553.
Publication of the Pentateuch and Mikraot Gedolot (1517–19)
Bomberg began his printing career in 1517 with the first edition of Mikraot Gedolot (Rabbinic Bible). The commentaries included by Bomberg and placed side-by-side on thee page covered a wide geographical, chronological and methodological gamut, featuring the text of the Torah the interpretive works of Rashi and Targum Onkelos, a translation of the Torah written in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and dating back to the second century CE. Other commentators included were Rashbam, Abraham ibn Ezra, Nachmanides (Ramban), David Kimhi (Radak) and Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno. It was printed with the imprimatur of Pope Leo X and the editing of the first edition was overseen by Felix Pratensis, a Jewish convert to Christianity.
Criticism
The first edition generated harsh criticism by Jewish audiences, possibly because of its numerous errors, albeit mostly minor issues in the cantillation and pronunciation marks, and possibly because of objections to the involvement of the Pope in authorizing the publication and of the apostate Pratensis's role as editor. In a second edition edited by Jacob ben Hayyim ibn Adonijah, hundreds of such errors were fixed, and though it still generated criticism, it nonetheless served as the standard upon which future printings of Mikraot Gedolot were based. The division of the Vulgate into chapters was made in the 13th century, and Jews began adopting the numbers for use in concordances by the mid-fourteen hundreds, yet until Bomberg, no Hebrew bible had ever included the chapter numbers as part of the book itself. Thus, for example, the commentary of Rabbi David Kimhi (RaDaK) was significantly censored because it contained material that could possibly be seen as offensive by Christians. These were published later in a separate book, which Bomberg released in a limited edition.
Publication of the Babylonian Talmud (1519–23)
Probably Bomberg's most impressive accomplishment is his publication of the editio princeps (first printed edition) of the complete Babylonian Talmud, which he completed in under four years. Published with the approval of Pope Leo X, this edition became the standard format, which all later editions have followed. The project was overseen by chief editor Rabbi Chiya Meir b. David, a rosh yeshiva and dayan (judge) on the Venice rabbinical court. In addition to the Rashi and the Tosafot on the page, Bomberg included other commentaries at the back, such as Rabbeinu Asher (Rosh), Maimonides’ commentary on the Mishnah and Piskei Tosafot. Bomberg's Talmud edition is generally considered highly accurate, and many bibliographers and historians have praised the precision of the text. In 1525, when Bomberg attempted to renew his license for a fee of 100 ducats, the Venetian senate refused, accusing Bomberg's Hebrew publications of attacking the Catholic faith. Several months later, for a fee of 500 ducats, they approved his appeal and renewed his license.
- Six editions of Midrashim
- Code of Moses b. Jacob of Coucy (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol)
In his book “Venetian Printers of Hebrew Books,” Joshua Bloch wrote:
"[A]s a pioneer in Hebrew printing in Venice [Bomberg] established so high a standard that no one has surpassed his work, even with the aid of modern mechanical improvements, and it is a question whether Hebrew printing has yet equaled the quality and taste shown in the productions of the Bomberg press."