Obj. ID: 37629  Tzemach David by David ben Yitzhak Pomis, Venice, 1587

This text was prepared by William Gross:

Tzemach David, Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon of Shorashim (root-letters), with explanations in Latin and Italian, by "Rabbi David min HaTapuchim, Doctor from the city of Spoleto" [David de Pomis]. Venice, 1587. Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin and Italian. the lexicon is arranged in two columns, according to the Hebrew alphabet. "Hebrew words" are in the right column while "foreign words" (Aramaic, Mishnaic Hebrew, etc.) are on the left.
The book opens with author's dedication to Pope Sixtus V, dated February 1587 (in Latin), and introductions in Latin, Italian and Hebrew, describing the author's genealogy and autobiography. From the Hebrew introduction: "Tale of a few of the author's tribulations from his youth until today", events that the author and his family experienced. At the end of the introduction: "Friday, the 21st of Shevat 1587".

A tri-lingual, Hebrew-Aramaic, Latin, and Italian dictionary, compiled by David ben Isaac de’ Pomis (1525 – 1593). An individual of many accomplishments, de’ Pomis traced his ancestry to the tribe of Judah, to the family ha-Tappuhim, one of the four noble families exiled from Jerusalem to Rome by Titus.
De’ Pomis became a physician, attending to nobles, among them the Sforza family. In 1555, Pope Paul IV forbade Jewish physicians to treat Christians. While de’ Pomis was granted special permission to do so by Pius IV, that Pope died a mere five days later, and the grant was rescinded by his successor, St. Pius V. De Pomis eventually settled in Venice where he was permitted to practice medicine, and wrote several treatises.
Zemach David is his most important book, and was dedicated to Pope Sixtus V. In addition to being a lexicon, the work expounds upon of various scientific and historical subjects, all within the context of de’ Pomis’ discussion of biblical and Talmudic terms.
The de’ Pomis family device appears after the Hebrew introduction: it shows an apple tree (pomis) with a lion (Judah) at each side and a star above, all within a cartouche. At the sides are the letters DP.
Pope Sixtus' coat of arms appears above the Latin dedication: a rampant lion holding pears (a reminder of his family name Peretti) and three mountains topped by a star.

The printer, Giovanni di Gara (active 1564-1610), was known in Venice as the “heir of Bomberg” not only because Bomberg instructed him in Hebrew printing, but also because di Gara acquired most of Bomberg’s Hebrew types. He was born in Riva del Garda to Christian parents sometime between 1520 and 1530 and moved to Venice with his family as a young boy. He began working at Bomberg’s press as a child. It is believed di Gara’s first Hebrew books were printed at Bomberg’s own press, since some of them bear the phrase “in the house of Bomberg”. In other early Hebrew books, di Gara noted when he used Bomberg’s types with the phrase “with the letters of Bomberg”. Over time, this phrase came to mean ‘in the Bomberg style’.
Di Gara worked closely with the press of fellow Venetian Bragadini, as evidenced by the use of his types from 1599 to 1600 and the incorporation of his three-crown printer’s mark (di Gara’s own printer’s mark was a small single crown). He employed Jews whenever legally permitted to do so to ensure the accuracy of his Hebrew editions. Books printed under the supervision of Christian typesetters suffered from many errors, whose corrections were costly to the firm.
Di Gara’s press printed close to 300 Hebrew books from approximately 1565 until his death in 1609 (at least one Hebrew book was printed posthumously from his press in 1610). As a result of the Counter Reformation and the Roman Inquisition, Hebrew books printed in Italy were subject to examination and censorship and could not be printed without prior permission from the relevant authorities. Books subject to these restrictions had a version of the phrase “con licentia dei superiori” meaning “with permission of the superior” printed at the bottom of the title page.
5, [1], 5-62, 238 leaves