Midrash Tehillim Rabata, with Midrash Shmuel Rabata and Midrash Mishlei. Venice: Daniel Bomberg by Cornelio Adelkind, 1546.
Midrash Tehillim was first printed in Constantinople, 1512, containing the midrash on Psalms 1-118. The remainder of the midrash, on Psalms 119-150, was printed in Thessaloniki about three years later, ca. 1515. The present book is the first complete edition of the work. It was next printed in Prague, 1613, under the name Midrash Shocher Tov, after the opening words of the Midrash, which was henceforth known by this name.
Divisional title page for Midrash Shmuel.
At the end of Midrash Tehillim: "In printing Midrash Tehillim we had recourse to printed editions and manuscripts, all of which were lacking the midrash on the 'tehillot' at the end. G-d provided only one copy from an old Turkish printing [Constantinople 1512] containing some of the missing passages, and especially the Midrash Alfa Beitot with their commentary [Thessaloniki 1515]… And that is how we printed it, with the most meticulous possible proofreading, although the text is very corrupt".
At the end of each of the three works appears a colophon by the printer Cornelio Adelkind. At the end of Midrash Shmuel the concluding date of printing is given as Lag BaOmer; and at the end of Midrash Mishlei, the concluding date is given as "Adar II 1546".
Censorship expurgations to several leaves.
Several glosses in Sephardic script. On blank leaf between Midrash Shmuel and Midrash Mishlei, lengthy homiletical inscription in Sephardic script. On the same page, signature of censor Vittorio Eliano, grandson of R. Eliyahu Bachur, who apostatized to Christianity.
66; 50-62; [1] blank leaf, 65-273, [1] leaf. 28.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains to last leaves. Traces of former dampness with light mold stains to several leaves. Small marginal open tears to title page and last leaf, repaired with paper on verso of title page. Worming in one place on last leaves, slightly affecting text. New binding.
CB, no. 3790; Zedner, p. 542; Roest, p. 814.
