Zohar, attributed to R. Shimon bar Yochai, all three parts, on Bereshit, Shemot and Vayikra-Devarim. Cremona: Vincenzo Conti, 1559-1560. First edition of the Zohar, printed simultaneously with the Mantua edition.
Despite the imprint for 1559-1560 on the title page, the printing of the present edition actually began in 1558, the same year that printing of the Mantua edition of the Zohar commenced (M. Benayahu claims that the present edition even preceded the Mantua printing).
The present edition, with the Zohar printed in one volume and in large format (in square script), was known as the "large Zohar", while the small-format Mantua edition printed in three volumes (in Rashi script) was known as the "small Zohar".
Many copies of the present edition reached Ashkenazic lands – Poland and Germany (it may be that the printers never intended to distribute copies of this edition in Italy). Evidencing this, many authors from Ashkenazic lands cite the text of the Cremona edition until well past the mid-18th century (see further Y. Yudlov's article, below). The subsequent Lublin 1622 and Sulzbach 1684 editions follow the form of the Cremona edition.
Over the years, the Cremona edition became especially rare, in contrast to the Mantua edition which was relatively more common. Benayahu writes that many copies of the Zohar were destroyed in the Cremona burning of Hebrew books (HaDefus HaIvri BiCremona, p. 137). This edition was rare even in the very next generation, as R. Moshe Zacuto writes in one of his letters: "Only a small minority possess the large [Cremona] edition…" (Igrot HaRamaz, Livorno 1780, 2).
Biblical references are printed in the margins of the leaves (uniquely characteristic of the Cremona edition, unlike the Mantua edition). In addition to the foliation of leaves, the columns and lines are also numbered (every tenth line).
There are known to be variations between copies of the Cremona edition. In most known copies, the title page is dated 1559-1560, as in the present copy. These copies contain eight leaves (leaves 5-6 of Bereshit and leaves 113, 118-122 of Shemot) which according to Benayahu (see below) were printed in Mantua, and are typographically distinct from the other leaves. The Schocken collection contains a copy with a different title page which doesn't mention the date of printing, and in which the abovementioned eight leaves were printed in Cremona and resemble the rest of the leaves of the book. The present copy contains the common version of the title page; leaves 5-6 of Bereshit are in fact identical to the leaves printed in Mantua, like the other copies, but leaves 113, 118-122 of Shemot are identical to the leaves appearing in the Schocken copy printed in Cremona.
Colophon on last leaf: "The holy work was completed… today, Friday… and was proofread by Chaim son of R. Shmuel ibn Gattegno… and R. Vittorio Eliano, grandson of the chief grammarian R. Eliyahu HaMedakdek".
Under the colophon is printed a Latin approval of printing on the authority of the Milano inquisition, dated August 1558.
Signature (deleted) on title page: "Yaakov son of M."; additional signature on title page: "Imanuel Baruch Cuzzer", and on endpaper: "Imanuel son of Shemariah Cuzzer". Additional handwritten inscriptions.
All parts in one volume. Bereshit: 132 leaves. Shemot: 122 leaves. Vayikra-Devarim: 146 leaves. Approx. 30 cm. Overall good condition. Stains (on several leaves many stains). Dark inkstains to one leaf, affecting text. Worming, affecting text of several leaves. Tears, including open tears to title page and several other leaves, affecting text, repaired with paper (with handwritten text replacement). New binding.
For a general description of the book and its printing, on the relation between the Cremona and Mantua editions and different copies of the Cremona edition, see: Meir Benayahu, HaDefus HaIvri BiCremona, Jerusalem 1971, pp. 121-137; Y. Yudlov, On Books, Printers and Publishers, HaSefer – 70-year jubilee volume for Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem 2008, pp. 556-559 (Hebrew).
CB, no. 3478.
