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A Mikraot Gedolot (Hebrew: מקראות גדולות, lit. 'Great Scriptures'), often called a "Rabbinic Bible" in English,^[1] is an edition of the Hebrew Bible that generally includes three distinct elements:

The Masoretic Text in its letters, niqqud (vocalisation marks), and cantillation marks
A Targum or Aramaic translation
Jewish commentaries on the Bible; 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[edit]

In addition to Targum Onkelos and Rashi's commentary, the standard Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible, the Mikraot Gedolot will include numerous other commentaries. For instance, the Romm publishing house edition of the Mikraot Gedolot contains the following additional commentaries:^[2]

Newer editions often include Baruch Epstein's Torah Temimah and other medieval commentaries, or more modern commentaries such as Malbim. Special editions exist of supercommentaries on Rashi or commentaries and targumim not included in older editions. Bomberg also included the Masoretic notes on the biblical text, but no modern edition does.

Editions of the Bomberg Mikraot Gedolot[edit]

First published in 1516–17 by Daniel Bomberg in Venice, the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by Felix Pratensis. The second edition was edited by the Masoretic scholar Jacob ben Hayyim ibn Adonijah in 1525.^[3]

All of its elements (Masoretic Text, 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 Aaron ben Moses ben Asher text).

The Mikraot Gedolot of ben Hayyim, though hailed as an extraordinary achievement, was riddled with thousands of technical errors. Objections were also raised by the Jewish readership, based on the fact that the very first printing of the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by Felix Pratensis, a Jew converted to Christianity. 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 fresh edition under the direction of acceptable Jewish editors. Nevertheless, this first edition served as the textual model for nearly all later editions until modern times. Concerning the biblical text, many of ben Hayyim's errors were later corrected by Menahem Lonzano and Jedidiah Norzi.

The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim served as the source for the Hebrew Bible translation in the King James Version in 1611 and the Spanish Reina Valera translation.

A scholarly reprint of the 1525 Ben-Hayyim Venice edition was published in 1972 by Moshe Goshen-Gottstein.^[4]

Recent printed editions[edit]

Most editions until the last few decades, and many editions even today, are reprints of or based on late nineteenth century Eastern European editions, which are in turn based more or less on the Ben Hayyim edition described above.

In the last generation fresh editions of the Mikraot Gedolot have been published, based directly on manuscript evidence, principally (for the biblical text and Masoretic notes) the Keter Aram Tzova, the manuscript of the Tanakh kept by the Jews of Aleppo. These also have improved texts of the commentaries based on ancient manuscripts. Three of these editions are:

the Bar Ilan Mikraot Gedolot ha-Keter, ed. Menaḥem Cohen (complete in 21 volumes: Genesis (2 vols.), Exodus (2 vols.), Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua & Judges (1 vol.), Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Minor Prophets, Psalms (2 vols.), Proverbs, Job, Five Megillot (1 vol.)), Daniel-Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles.
Torat Hayim, published by Mosad ha-Rav Kook (15 vols thus far: Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and five Megillot, plus several non-biblical texts).
Chorev Mikraot Gedolot, published by Hotzaat Chorev (now complete).
Mikraot Gedolot, published by ArtScroll Mesorah

References[edit]

^ Martin Sicker An introduction to Judaic thought and rabbinic literature 2007 Page 158 "Moreover, the so-called Rabbinic Bible, the Mikraot Gedolot ("Great Scriptures"), may have as many as ten different commentaries, and notes on the commentaries accompany the text, thus providing a range of possible interpretations of ..."
^ Mikraot Gedolot: Vayikra (in Hebrew and Aramaic). Vilna: Romm Publishing House. 1899. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
^ "Jordan S. Penkower – Some Notes Regarding the First & Second Rabbinic Bibles – The Seforim Blog". 5 March 2008.
^ M. H. Goshen-Gottstein (ed.), Mikraot Gedolot, Biblia Rabbinica, A Reprint of the 1525 Venice Edition (Makor, Jerusalem, 1972)

Sources[edit]

Menaḥem 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).

External links[edit]

Wikimedia projects[edit]

Wikisource's Mikraot Gedolot is available in Hebrew (has the most content) and English.

Editions available online[edit]

The Second Rabbinic Bible (Mikra'ot Gdolot)
Mikraot Gedolot AlHaTorah – free customizable online edition, including up to 26 different commentators, some newly published or in critical editions
The Second Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot) (מקראות גדולות) Volume I, Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524;
digital copy: Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524: The Second Rabbinic Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy only

[1] Martin Sicker An introduction to Judaic thought and rabbinic literature 2007 Page 158 "Moreover, the so-called Rabbinic Bible, the Mikraot Gedolot ("Great Scriptures"), may have as many as ten different commentaries, and notes on the commentaries accompany the text, thus providing a range of possible interpretations of ..."

[Rommedition-2] Mikraot Gedolot: Vayikra (in Hebrew and Aramaic). Vilna: Romm Publishing House. 1899. Retrieved 23 July 2013.

[3] "Jordan S. Penkower – Some Notes Regarding the First & Second Rabbinic Bibles – The Seforim Blog". 5 March 2008.

[4] M. H. Goshen-Gottstein (ed.), Mikraot Gedolot, Biblia Rabbinica, A Reprint of the 1525 Venice Edition (Makor, Jerusalem, 1972)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|Edition of the Tanakh}}
+{{Italic title}}{{Short description|Edition of the Hebrew Bible}}
 {{more citations needed|date=January 2012}}
-[[Image:Mikraot Gedolot.JPG|thumb|A page of a modern Mikraot Gedolot [[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]]]]
+[[Image:Mikraot Gedolot.JPG|thumb|A page of a modern Mikraot Gedolot [[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]]. The text is the block of large, bold letters; adjacent to it is the [[Targum Onkelos]] with [[Rashi]]'s commentary below with the related supercommentary [[Siftei Chachamim]] adjacent. [[Nachmanides]], [[Abraham ibn Ezra]], and [[Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno]] are on the facing page; other commentaries and references are in the margins.]]
 [[File:The Book of Leviticus, Warsaw edition, 1860, title page.jpg|thumb|Vayikra – The Book of Leviticus, Warsaw edition,1860, title page]]
-[[File:Book of Leviticus, Mikraot Gdolot, Warsaw edition, 1860, Page 1.jpg|thumb|Vaikro – Book of Leviticus, Warsaw edition, 1860, Page 1]]
+[[File:Book of Leviticus, Mikraot Gdolot, Warsaw edition, 1860, Page 1.jpg|thumb|[[Book of Leviticus]], Warsaw edition, 1860, Page 1]]
-The '''''Mikraot Gedolot''''' ({{Script/Hebrew|מקראות גדולות}}) "Great Scriptures," often called the "[[Rabbinic literature|Rabbinic]] Bible" in English,<ref>Martin Sicker ''An introduction to Judaic thought and rabbinic literature'' 2007 Page 158 "Moreover, the so-called Rabbinic Bible, the Mikraot Gedolot ("Great Scriptures"), may have as many as ten different commentaries, and notes on the commentaries accompany the text, thus providing a range of possible interpretations of ..."</ref> is an edition of the [[Tanakh]] (in Hebrew) that generally includes four distinct elements:
+A '''''Mikraot Gedolot''''' ({{lang-he|מקראות גדולות||Great Scriptures}}), often called a "[[Rabbinic literature|Rabbinic]] Bible" in English,<ref>Martin Sicker ''An introduction to Judaic thought and rabbinic literature'' 2007 Page 158 "Moreover, the so-called Rabbinic Bible, the Mikraot Gedolot ("Great Scriptures"), may have as many as ten different commentaries, and notes on the commentaries accompany the text, thus providing a range of possible interpretations of ..."</ref> is an edition of the [[Hebrew Bible]] that generally includes three distinct elements:
-* The biblical text according to the ''[[Masoretic Text|masorah]]'' in its letters, [[niqqud|vocalization]], and [[cantillation marks]]
+* The [[Masoretic Text]] in its letters, [[niqqud]] (vocalisation marks), and [[cantillation marks]]
+* A [[Targum]]  or [[Aramaic]] translation
-* [[Masoretes|Masoretic]] notes on the biblical text
+* [[Jewish commentaries on the Bible]]; most common and prominent are medieval commentaries in the ''[[peshat]]'' tradition
-* Aramaic [[Targum]]
-* [[Bible commentary|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.
+Numerous editions of the ''Mikraot Gedolot'' have been and continue to be published.
 == Commentaries ==
-In addition to [[Targum Onkelos]] and [[Rashi]]'s commentary – the standard Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible – the Mikraot Gedolot will include numerous other commentaries. For instance, the [[Romm publishing house]] edition of the Mikraot Gedolot contains the following additional commentaries:<ref name="Rommedition">{{cite book|title=Mikraot Gedolot: Vayikra|year=1899|publisher=Romm Publishing House|location=Vilna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ahQwAAAAYAAJ&q=%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA+%D7%92%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA|accessdate=23 July 2013|language=Hebrew, Aramaic}}</ref>
+In addition to [[Targum Onkelos]] and [[Rashi]]'s commentary, the standard Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible, the ''Mikraot Gedolot'' will include numerous other commentaries. For instance, the [[Romm publishing house]] edition of the Mikraot Gedolot contains the following additional commentaries:<ref name="Rommedition">{{cite book|title=Mikraot Gedolot: Vayikra|year=1899|publisher=Romm Publishing House|location=Vilna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ahQwAAAAYAAJ&q=%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA+%D7%92%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA|accessdate=23 July 2013|language=Hebrew, Aramaic}}</ref>
-* [[Targum Jonathan]] (For the [[Torah]], [[Targum Pseudo-Jonathan|Pseudo-Jonathan]])
+* [[Targum Jonathan]]
-* [[Targum Yerushalmi]] on the Torah
+* [[Targum Pseudo-Jonathan]]
 * [[Rashbam]]
-* [[Tosafot]] on the Torah (Daat Zekenim)
+* [[Tosafot]] on the Torah (''Daat Zekenim'')
-* [[Chaim ibn Attar]] (Or Hachaim)
+* [[Chaim ibn Attar]] (''Or Hachaim'')
 * [[Abraham ibn Ezra]]
-* [[David Kimhi]] (Rada"k)
+* [[David Kimhi]]
 * [[Nachmanides]]
 * [[Gersonides]]
-* [[Jacob ben Asher]] (Ba'al Haturim)
+* [[Jacob ben Asher]] (''Ba'al Haturim'')
 * [[Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno]]
-* [[Shabbethai Bass]] (Siftei Chakhamim)
+* [[Shabbethai Bass]] (''Siftei [[Hakham]]im'')
-* [[Obadiah of Bertinoro]] (Emer Neka)
+* [[Obadiah of Bertinoro]] (''Emer Neka'')
-* [[Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz]] (Kli Yakar)
+* [[Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz]] (''Kli Yakar'')
-* [[Don Isaac Abrabanel]]
+* [[Isaac Abarbanel]]
 * [[Joseph Kara]]
-Newer editions often include [[Baruch Halevi Epstein]]'s Torah Temimah and other modern and medieval commentaries. Special editions exist of supercommentaries on Rashi or commentaries and targumim not included in older editions.
+Newer editions often include [[Baruch Epstein]]'s ''[[Torah Temimah]]'' and other medieval commentaries, or more modern commentaries such as [[Malbim]]. Special editions exist of supercommentaries on Rashi or commentaries and targumim not included in older editions. Bomberg also included the Masoretic notes on the biblical text, but no modern edition does.
-==Editions of the Bomberg Mikraot Gedolot==
+==Editions of the Bomberg ''Mikraot Gedolot''==
 <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Miqraoth Gdoloth Bomberg001.jpg|200px|right|thumb|1524]] -->
-First published in 1516–17 by [[Daniel Bomberg]] in [[Venice]], the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by Felix Pratensis. The second edition was edited by the masoretic scholar [[Yaakov ben Hayyim]] in 1525.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seforimblog.com/2008/03/some-notes-regarding-first-second/|title=Jordan S. Penkower – Some Notes Regarding the First & Second Rabbinic Bibles – The Seforim Blog}}</ref>
+First published in 1516–17 by [[Daniel Bomberg]] in [[Venice]], the ''Mikraot Gedolot'' was edited by [[Felix Pratensis]]. The second edition was edited by the Masoretic scholar [[Jacob ben Hayyim ibn Adonijah]] in 1525.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seforimblog.com/2008/03/some-notes-regarding-first-second/|title=Jordan S. Penkower – Some Notes Regarding the First & Second Rabbinic Bibles – The Seforim Blog|date=5 March 2008 }}</ref>
-All of its elements – text, [[Masoretic Text|masorah]], [[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).
+All of its elements (Masoretic Text, [[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 [[Aaron ben Moses ben Asher]] text).
-The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim, though hailed as an extraordinary achievement, was riddled with thousands of technical errors. Objections were also raised by the Jewish readership, based on the fact that the very first printing of the Mikra'ot Gedolot was edited by [[Felix Pratensis]], a Jew converted to Christianity. 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 fresh edition under the direction of acceptable 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 [[Jedidiah Norzi|Shlomo Yedidiah Norzi]].
+The ''Mikraot Gedolot'' of ben Hayyim, though hailed as an extraordinary achievement, was riddled with thousands of technical errors. Objections were also raised by the Jewish readership, based on the fact that the very first printing of the Mikraot Gedolot was edited by [[Felix Pratensis]], a Jew converted to Christianity. 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 fresh edition under the direction of acceptable Jewish editors. Nevertheless, this first edition served as the textual model for nearly all later editions until modern times. Concerning the biblical text, many of ben Hayyim's errors were later corrected by [[Menahem Lonzano]] and [[Jedidiah Norzi]].
-The Mikraot Gedolot of Ben Hayyim served as the source for the [[Hebrew Bible]] translation in the [[King James Version of the Bible]] in 1611 and the Spanish [[Reina-Valera]] translation.
+The ''Mikraot Gedolot'' of Ben Hayyim served as the source for the [[Hebrew Bible]] translation in the [[King James Version]] in 1611 and the Spanish [[Reina Valera]] translation.
 A scholarly reprint of the 1525 Ben-Hayyim Venice edition was published in 1972 by [[Moshe Goshen-Gottstein]].<ref>M. H. Goshen-Gottstein (ed.), Mikraot Gedolot, Biblia Rabbinica, A Reprint of the 1525 Venice Edition (Makor, Jerusalem, 1972)</ref>
@@ Line 52: / Line 51: @@
 Most editions until the last few decades, and many editions even today, are reprints of or based on late nineteenth century Eastern European editions, which are in turn based more or less on the Ben Hayyim edition described above.
-In the last generation fresh editions of the Mikraot Gedolot have been published, based directly on manuscript evidence, principally (for the Biblical text and Masoretic notes) the ''[[Aleppo Codex|Keter Aram Tzova]]'', the manuscript of the Tanakh kept by the Jews of Aleppo.  These also have improved texts of the commentaries based on ancient manuscripts.  Three of these editions are:
+In the last generation fresh editions of the ''Mikraot Gedolot'' have been published, based directly on manuscript evidence, principally (for the biblical text and Masoretic notes) the ''[[Aleppo Codex|Keter Aram Tzova]]'', the manuscript of the Tanakh kept by the Jews of Aleppo.  These also have improved texts of the commentaries based on ancient manuscripts.  Three of these editions are:
 * the [[Bar Ilan University|Bar Ilan]] ''Mikraot Gedolot ha-Keter'', ed. [[Menachem Cohen (scholar)|Menaḥem Cohen]] (complete in 21 volumes: Genesis (2 vols.), Exodus (2 vols.), Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua & Judges (1 vol.), Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Minor Prophets, Psalms (2 vols.), Proverbs, Job, Five Megillot (1 vol.)), Daniel-Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles.
-* ''Torat Hayim'', published by Mosad ha-Rav Kook (15 vols thus far: Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and five Megillot, plus several non-Biblical texts).
+* ''Torat Hayim'', published by Mosad ha-Rav Kook (15 vols thus far: Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and five Megillot, plus several non-biblical texts).
 * Chorev Mikraot Gedolot, published by Hotzaat Chorev (now complete).
+* Mikraot Gedolot, published by ArtScroll Mesorah
 == References ==
@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 * [https://archive.org/details/mikraot_gdolot/page/n1/mode/2up The Second Rabbinic Bible (Mikra'ot Gdolot)]
 * [http://mg.alhatorah.org/ Mikraot Gedolot AlHaTorah] – free customizable online edition, including up to 26 different commentators, some newly published or in critical editions
-* The Second Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot) (מקראות גדולות) Volume I, Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524; <br />digital copy: [https://archive.org/stream/The_Second_Rabbinic_Bible_Vol_1/1#page/n7/mode/2up Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524: The Second Rabbinic Bible] (Genesis through Deuteronomy only)
+* The Second Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot) (מקראות גדולות) Volume I, Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524; <br />digital copy: [https://archive.org/stream/The_Second_Rabbinic_Bible_Vol_1/1#page/n7/mode/2up Yaakov ben Hayyim, 1524: The Second Rabbinic Bible] (Genesis through Deuteronomy only
-* 1912 Vilna Edition
-** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cdl;cc=cdl;view=toc;subview=short;idno=cdl169 Volume I] ([[Book of Genesis|Genesis]])
-** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cdl;cc=cdl;view=toc;subview=short;idno=cdl170 Volume II] ([[Book of Exodus|Exodus]])
-** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cdl;cc=cdl;view=toc;subview=short;idno=cdl171 Volume III] ([[Book of Leviticus|Leviticus]])
-** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cdl;cc=cdl;view=toc;subview=short;idno=cdl172 Volume IV] ([[Book of Numbers|Numbers]])
-** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cdl;cc=cdl;view=toc;subview=short;idno=cdl159 Volume V] ([[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]])
 [[Category:Ancient Hebrew texts]]