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Bidding Information
Lot #    6581
Auction End Date    2/10/2004 12:12:00 PM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Hebrew Bible (Biblia sacra Hebraea)
Title (Hebrew)    תורה נביאים וכתובים
City    Amsterdam
Publisher    Joseph Atthias
Publication Date    1659-61
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description		    [9], 234; 180; 190; 198 ff., 185:120 mm., wide margins, light age staining. A very good copy bound in later cloth boards, spine detached and rubbed.
          
Detailed
Description		    Attractive and important Hebrew Bible (Biblia sacra Hebraea). This is the first Hebrew Bible to employ Arabic numerals for the numeration of verses. There are four copperplate title pages. The first, Tikkun Sefer Torah, has two cherubim blowing horns near the top, and five detailed vignettes of biblical scenes, including one, spanning the top of the page, of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. It is dated “my tongue is like the pen of a fast writer עט ספר (419=1659)” (Psalms 45:2). The three other decorative title pages have two cherubim blowing horns at the top, at the bottom an eagle with spread wings. Within the wings is a carriage and figures, and in the middle of this scenario is a depiction of Jacob meeting Joseph in Egypt, recalling “And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself to him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while” Genesis 46:29). Habermann records the earliest usage of this representation as a Selihot (1677), suggesting that it is an allusion to the printer Joseph Atthias and his death (1685). This Bible, however, predates the Selihot by more than a decade. The latter title page was frequently reused in Dyhernfurth and a similar title page was used in Frankfort a. Oder. Biblical books begin with a decorative border at the top of the page and each part concludes with a tail piece.

Athias, in printing this Bible, contacted Johannes Leusden, Professor of Hebrew at Utrecht University, to assist in the innovation of Arabic numerals in a Hebrew Bible, to make possible the use of text and quotations. Since Athias’ market included non-Jews he applied for a privilege from the states of Holland and West-Fiesland, the first such application from a Jewish printer. His application was denied but he was allowed to print this Bible. Leusden writes in his Latin preface that the text was compared to a manuscript from 1299 written in Toledo and in the possession of Gaspar Fernando Veiga. This is preceded by the Hebrew preface of the correctors, Samuel ben Daniel Caceres and Eliah ben Michael Judah Leon. This Bible, which was very successful, was reputedly printed in a run of 3,000.

          
Paragraph 2    מהדורה ראשונה של התנ"ך בעריכתו של יוהאנס לוסדן. הוא הגיה על פי דפוסים קודמים, ומהדורתו המדוייקת היתה שנים רבות המהדורה המשוכללת ביותר של התנ"ך. מהדורה שניה: אמשטרדם תכ"ו-תכ"ז. מהדורה שלישית: אמשטרדם 1705. הפסוקים סומנו בספרות, וכל פסוק חמישי סומן באות. במקביל, בשנים תי"ט-ת"ך, הוציא המדפיס מהדורה של התורה, המגילות וההפטרות בלבד.

[חלק א]: (חמשה חומשי תורה [וחמש מגילות]). תי"ט-תכ"א. [9], רלד דף. בשער העברי: שנת לשוני ע'ט' ס'פ'ר' מהיר [תי"ט]. בשער הלאטיני, בהקדמה הלאטינית של לוזדן (דף [4,ב-8]) ובהסכמה הלאטינית של חברי האקדמיה (דף [9,א]): 1661 [תכ"א]. דף [4-3,א]: הקדמה מאת המגיהים, שמואל בכ"ר דניאל די קאסריש, אליהו (יהודה ליאון) ב"ר מיכאל יהודה ליאון. [חלק ב]: נביאים ראשונים. בשנת מ'ש'א' ג'א' ח'ז'י'ן' [ת"ך]. קף דף. [חלק ג]: נביאים אחרונים. בשנת מ'ש'א' ג'א' ח'ז'י'ן' [ת"ך]. קעה, קף-קץ דף. [חלק ד]: כתובים. בשנת כ'ת'ובים באצבע אלהים [ת"ך]. קצח דף. דף קצז-קצח: לוח הפטרות כל השנה כפי כל המנהגים.

          
Reference
Description		    Darlow and Moule II no. 5131; Fuks Heb. Typog. II no. 378; Habermann, Title Pages no. 36-37; Studia Rosenthaliana I 35-36; Vinograd, Amsterdam 262; CD-EPI 0182323
        
Associated Images
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Listing Classification
Period
17th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Holland:    Checked
  
Subject
Bible:    Checked
  
Characteristic
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
  
Kind of Judaica