Hamishah Humshei Torah... u-Nevi'im Rishonim va-Aharonim u-Khetuvim (The Five Books of Moses, the Former and Latter Prophets, and the Writings)
Amsterdam: printed by Menasseh ben Israel for Henricus Laurentius, 1630-1631. First edition. Hardcover. Octavo (16.8 by 11.4 cm). Collation: [aleph]-[lamed-zayin]8 (= 296 leaves). 612 [i.e., 592] pp: p. 464 erroneously numbered 484, 465 as 485, and so on throughout]. Two column text in unvocalized Hebrew; every fifth verse numbered in the margin. Title within architectural border; half titles with letterpress ornamentation for the Former and Latter Prophets. Contemporary vellumwith exposed thongs, edges stained blue; yapp fore-edges; front joint cracked but holding strong. Intermittent light toning to text (outmost leaves a bit more darkened); very occasional small stains. Title-page slighltly trimmed (4 mm) at bottom edge; expert marginal repairs at bottom corners of 2 leaves; 1 leaf re-margined at fore-edge with no loss of text, else a very good copy, with crisp, clean text.
First Hebrew Bible published in Amsterdam, printed by the rabbi, diplomat, publisher and religious thinker Menasseh ben Israel (1604-1657), one of the most distinguished members of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam, and the first Jewish printer in the Northern Netherlands. The Amsterdam printer and publisher Hendrick Laurensz (Lauretius) provided the financing for this edition along with two other Bible editions and two editions of the Hebrew Psalms printed by Menasseh between 1631 and 1646. "These publications were not only made for the local market, but mainly for international trade. Thanks to this financial help Menasseh was able to organize his printing office in a more professional way" (Fuks), hiring a Jewish compositor, Judah Leb ben Mordecai Gimple from Posen, and a gentile compositor, Bartholomeus Laurensz.
The printing activity of Menasseh was especially important in the steadily growing productions of the Hebrew press in the Northern Netherlands. Fulfilling the needs of the Sephardic community for Jewish ritual texts eliminated the need for expensive imports from Venice and Poland. Menasseh undersood that the relatively cheap paper and tools available in Amsterdam made it possible to compete in quality and prices with the Hebrew presses of Poland, Italy, and Basel. "Gentile publishers and booksellers in Amsterdam, such as Jansonius and Laurentius, were quick to see the opportunity of the opening Eastern European market and financed several of Menasseh's publications" (Fuks). Menasseh was the first to introduce in the Netherlands waybertaytsch types for Yiddish publications, along with illustrated Hebrew books. He was also the first Jewish printer to adopt the Dutch pocket-book format made famous by the Elzeviers.
Notes on publication date and issue: The title is dated 1630 in Arabic numerals; the colophon notes the date of completion in Hebrew characters as 5 Adar [5]391 = 7 February 1631, along with the printer's apology for being unable to provide the index of pericopes promised on the title-page due to lack of printing material. Darlow and Moule describe this issue as Variant A, with a Latin imprint appearing in the cartouche beneath the Hebrew title.
Provenance and annotations: early entry in brown ink at front paste-down, with short Greek inscription (Theos...), dated 1700; old Latin inscription in black ink at top margin title in reference to Hebrew roots; date of 1812 beside Yiddish(?) entry penned in black ink within imprint cartouche at title; old entry in German penned in black ink at verso title, beneath which is an oval cartouche in imitation of the one at the title, in which an owner has penned in black ink the Hebrew imprint information regarding Hendrick Laurensz (as it would appear in the Varient B issue); old library shelf marks at rear paste-down; recent owner entry in blue ink in Hebrew at front paste-down. Very good-. Item #55459
References: Darlow and Moule 5123a; Fuks/Fuks-Mansfeld no. 152; pp. 105; 111f.; Steinschneider no. 453; Vinograd (Amsterdam) 22.
Full title and imprint: חמשה חומשי תורה פרשיותיו פתוחות וסתומות ע"פ הרמבם ז"ל ומדוייק בחסירו' ויתרות להעתק ס"ת עם לוח בסופו מועיל לסופרי' ונביאים ראשונים ואחרונים וכתובים: נדפס בבית מנשה בן ישראל ז׳׳צל והוגה בעיון נמרץ על ידו שנת ישמחו השמים
Amstelodami sumptibus Henrici Laurentii 1630.
Price: $5,000.00