Mikraot Gedolot
Encyclopedia
The Mikraot Gedolot "Great Scriptures," often called the "Rabbinic
Bible" in English, is an
edition of Tanakh
(in Hebrew) that generally includes four distinct elements:
Numerous editions of the Mikraot Gedolot have been and continue to be published.
and Rashi
's commentary – the standard Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible – the Mikraot Gedolot typically includes the commentaries of:
in Venice
, the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by the masoretic scholar Yaakov ben Hayyim. All of its elements - text, mesorah
, Targum
, and commentaries were based upon the manuscripts that Ben Hayyim had at hand (although he did not always have access to the best ones according to some, Ginsburg and some others argued that it was a good representation of the Ben Asher text).
The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim, though hailed as an extraordinary achievement, was riddled with thousands of technical errors. Also, the very first printing of the Mikra'ot Gedolot was edited by Felix Pratensis
, an apostate Jew. Furthermore, Bomberg, a Christian, had requested an imprimatur from the Pope. Such facts were not compatible with the supposed Jewish nature of the work; Bomberg had to produce a brand new edition under the direction of proper Jewish editors. Nevertheless, this first edition served as the textual model for nearly all later editions until modern times. With regard to the Biblical text, many of Ben Hayyim's errors were later corrected by Menahem Lonzano
and Shlomo Yedidiah Norzi
. It is only in the last generation that fresh editions of the Mikraot Gedolot based directly on manuscript evidence have been published. Mikraot Gedolot haKeter, edited by Mena`hem Cohen under the auspices of Bar Ilan University, is the first printed edition which reclaims its Jewish authorship; it is based on the Keter Aram Tzova
, the manuscript of the Tanakh kept by the Jews of Aleppo.
The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim served as the textus receptus for the King James Version of the Bible
in 1611.
Three modern editions based on the Aleppo Codex
, with improved texts of the commentaries based on ancient manuscripts, are:
Rabbinic literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term...
Bible" in English, is an
edition of Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
(in Hebrew) that generally includes four distinct elements:
- The Biblical text according to the mesorahMasoretic TextThe Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
in its letters, vocalization, and cantillation marks. - Masoretic notes on the Biblical text.
- Aramaic TargumTargumTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. - Biblical commentaries (most common and prominent are medieval commentaries in the peshat tradition).
Numerous editions of the Mikraot Gedolot have been and continue to be published.
Commentaries
In addition to Targum OnkelosTargum Onkelos
right|thumb|Interlinear text of [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 6.3–10 with [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] Targum Onkelos from the [[British Library]]....
and Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
's commentary – the standard Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible – the Mikraot Gedolot typically includes the commentaries of:
- Targum JonathanTargum JonathanTargum Jonathan - otherwise referred to as Targum Yonasan/Yonatan is the official eastern targum to the Nevi'im. Its early origins, however, are western i.e. from the Land of Israel, and the Talmudic tradition attributes its authorship to Jonathan ben Uzziel...
(For the TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, Pseudo-JonathanTargum Pseudo-JonathanTargum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum of the Torah from the land of Israel . Its correct title is Targum Yerushalmi , which is how it was known in medieval times...
) - RashbamRashbamSamuel ben Meir after his death known as "Rashbam", a Hebrew acronym for: RAbbi SHmuel Ben Meir, was a leading French Tosafist and grandson of Shlomo Yitzhaki, "Rashi."-Biography:...
- Abraham ibn EzraAbraham ibn EzraRabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
- David KimhiDavid KimhiDavid Kimhi , also known by the Hebrew acronym as the RaDaK , was a medieval rabbi, biblical commentator, philosopher, and grammarian. Born in Narbonne, Provence, he was the son of Rabbi Joseph Kimhi and the brother of Rabbi Moses Kimhi, both biblical commentators and grammarians...
(Rada"k) - NahmanidesNahmanidesNahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...
- Obadiah ben Jacob SfornoObadiah ben Jacob SfornoObadiah ben Jacob Sforno was an Italian rabbi, Biblical commentator, philosopher and physician. He was born at Cesena about 1475 and died at Bologna in 1550....
- Shabbethai BassShabbethai BassShabbethai ben Joseph Bass , born at Kalisz, was the father of Jewish bibliography, and author of the Sifsei Chachamim supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch.-Life:...
(Siftei Chakhamim)
The Ben Hayyim edition
First published in 1524–25 by Daniel BombergDaniel Bomberg
Daniel Bomberg was an early printer of Hebrew language books. A Christian, born in Antwerp, he was primarily active in Venice between 1516 and 1549....
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by the masoretic scholar Yaakov ben Hayyim. All of its elements - text, mesorah
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
, Targum
Targum
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, and commentaries were based upon the manuscripts that Ben Hayyim had at hand (although he did not always have access to the best ones according to some, Ginsburg and some others argued that it was a good representation of the Ben Asher text).
The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim, though hailed as an extraordinary achievement, was riddled with thousands of technical errors. Also, the very first printing of the Mikra'ot Gedolot was edited by Felix Pratensis
Felix Pratensis
Felix Pratensis was a Sephardic Jewish scholar who embraced Roman Catholicism. He is known for his collaboration with the Flemish printer Daniel Bomberg on the first printed Hebrew Biblia Rabbinica of 1517/8.He received a good education and acquired three languages...
, an apostate Jew. Furthermore, Bomberg, a Christian, had requested an imprimatur from the Pope. Such facts were not compatible with the supposed Jewish nature of the work; Bomberg had to produce a brand new edition under the direction of proper Jewish editors. Nevertheless, this first edition served as the textual model for nearly all later editions until modern times. With regard to the Biblical text, many of Ben Hayyim's errors were later corrected by Menahem Lonzano
Menahem Lonzano
Menahem ben Judah ben Menahem de Lonzano was a rabbi, Masoretic scholar, lexicographer, and poet. He died after 1608 in Jerusalem. His nativity is unknown, but it has been supposed that he was born in Italy. According to Jellinek, who identified Lonzano with Longano, a seaport of Messenia, his home...
and Shlomo Yedidiah Norzi
Jedidiah Norzi
Jedidiah Solomon ben Abraham Norzi was a Rabbi and exegete born at Mantua. He studied under Moses Cases, and received his rabbinical ordination in 1585...
. It is only in the last generation that fresh editions of the Mikraot Gedolot based directly on manuscript evidence have been published. Mikraot Gedolot haKeter, edited by Mena`hem Cohen under the auspices of Bar Ilan University, is the first printed edition which reclaims its Jewish authorship; it is based on the Keter Aram Tzova
Aleppo Codex
The Aleppo Codex is a medieval bound manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. The codex was written in the 10th century A.D.The codex has long been considered to be the most authoritative document in the masorah , the tradition by which the Hebrew Scriptures have been preserved from generation to generation...
, the manuscript of the Tanakh kept by the Jews of Aleppo.
The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim served as the textus receptus for the King James Version of the Bible
King James Version of the Bible
The Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Version, King James Bible or KJV, is an English translation of the Christian Bible by the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611...
in 1611.
Later editions
Most editions are based more or less on the Ben Hayyim edition described above.Three modern editions based on the Aleppo Codex
Aleppo Codex
The Aleppo Codex is a medieval bound manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. The codex was written in the 10th century A.D.The codex has long been considered to be the most authoritative document in the masorah , the tradition by which the Hebrew Scriptures have been preserved from generation to generation...
, with improved texts of the commentaries based on ancient manuscripts, are:
- the Bar Ilan Mikraot Gedolot ha-Keter (so far only ten volumes have been published)
- Torat Hayim, published by Mosad ha-Rav Kook (Torah only).
- Chorev Mikraot Gedolot by Hotzaat Chorev (Torah only).
Sources
Menachem Cohen, "Introduction to the Haketer edition," in Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer: A revised and augmented scientific edition of "Mikra'ot Gedolot" based on the Aleppo Codex and Early Medieval MSS (Bar-Ilan University Press, 1992).Wikimedia project
Wikisource's Mikraot Gedolot is available in Hebrew (has the most content) and English.Published editions
- The original Ben Hayyim edition
- 1912 Vilna Edition