Giulio Bartolocci
Encyclopedia
Giulio Bartolocci was an Italian Cistercian Hebrew scholar and author of the four volume Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica.
and became the a pupil of a baptized Jew, Giovanni Battista
, who instructed him in Hebrew
. On completing his studies, Bartolocci entered the Cistercian order. It was from Battista that Bartolocci obtained his knowledge of Hebrew and rabbinical literature.
He was appointed, in 1651, professor of Hebrew and Rabbinics
at the Collegium Neophytorum at Rome
, and "Scriptor Hebraicus" at the Vatican Library
. It was in the Vatican, and with the assistance of Battista, that Bartolocci received his preparation for the work that was to give him lasting fame in the world of Jewish bibliography; and it was at the Vatican and its subsidiary libraries that he obtained his chief materials.
In 1675 he began in Rome the publication of Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica, a bibliography, in Latin and Hebrew, of Hebrew literature
, arranged according to the names of the authors. This work appeared in four folio volumes, 1675-1693, three of which were published by the author and the fourth by Carlo Giuseppe Imbonati
, his disciple. Imbonati's supplement contained a list of authors arranged according to the subjects on which they wrote. The latter added to this work a fifth volume, the Bibliotheca Latina Hebraica, Rome, 1694, which contained the works and the names of Christian authors who had written in Latin on Jews and Judaism.
It was from Battista that Bartolocci obtained the idea and plan of the Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica, as well as part of the material. Battista began the composition of the book in a chronological order, which order was abandoned by Bartolocci. Richard Simon
, in writing in his Bibliothèque Critique about Bartolocci's work, says:
Complaints were also made that he devoted space to refutations of Jewish arguments and that his translations from the Talmud
were faulty. On the other hand, Wolf attributes to Bartolocci the motive and stimulus for his own later work.
Even with its faults, the Bibliotheca Rabbinica was a great undertaking. It was the first attempt on a large scale to give to the world an account of the literature of the Jews. It is not a mere bibliographic and biographic compilation, but contains also a number of dissertations on Jewish customs, observances, and religious ideas; on the River Sambation, on the beginnings of Hebrew typography, and the like. Some Hebrew treatises are reprinted in full; for example, "Alphabet of Ben Sira
," "Megillat Antiochus," "Otiot de-R. Aḳiba," and a part of Eldad ha-Dani
's mythical journey.
Several attempts were made to render Bartolocci's work more accessible. The first who thought of publishing Bartolocci's work, with the omission of its Hebrew texts, etc., was the Oxford scholar Edward Bernard
. Adrian Reland of Holland attempted to publish in Amsterdam such an extract of the Bibliotheca, but he failed to execute the plan, there appearing in print the biographies alone of such famous exegetes as Rashi
, Ibn Ezra
, David Ḳimḥi
, Levi ben Gershom, and Judah Abravanel, which were embodied in his Analecta Rabbinica (Utrecht, 1702).
Bartolocci left in manuscript a work on the difficult expressions in the Mishnah
.
Attribution
Life
He was born at CellenoCelleno
Celleno is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Lazio, located about 80 km northwest of Rome and about 15 km north of Viterbo....
and became the a pupil of a baptized Jew, Giovanni Battista
Giovanni Battista
Giovanni Battista, was a common Italian given name in the 16th-18th centuries, which in English means "John the Baptist". The French variation is "Jean-Baptiste". Common nicknames include Giambattista, Gianbattista or Giovambattista. The Genoese nickname was Baciccio, and a common shortening was...
, who instructed him in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
. On completing his studies, Bartolocci entered the Cistercian order. It was from Battista that Bartolocci obtained his knowledge of Hebrew and rabbinical literature.
He was appointed, in 1651, professor of Hebrew and Rabbinics
Rabbinic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism or Rabbinism has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Talmud...
at the Collegium Neophytorum at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and "Scriptor Hebraicus" at the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. It was in the Vatican, and with the assistance of Battista, that Bartolocci received his preparation for the work that was to give him lasting fame in the world of Jewish bibliography; and it was at the Vatican and its subsidiary libraries that he obtained his chief materials.
In 1675 he began in Rome the publication of Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica, a bibliography, in Latin and Hebrew, of Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
, arranged according to the names of the authors. This work appeared in four folio volumes, 1675-1693, three of which were published by the author and the fourth by Carlo Giuseppe Imbonati
Carlo Giuseppe Imbonati
Carlo Giuseppe Imbonati was a Cistercian scholar who was active during the last half of the 17th century. He spent much of his career in Rome and rose to the title of abbot. He was a theologian and a Hebrew scholar who wrote prolifically in his fields. The last known references to the man are...
, his disciple. Imbonati's supplement contained a list of authors arranged according to the subjects on which they wrote. The latter added to this work a fifth volume, the Bibliotheca Latina Hebraica, Rome, 1694, which contained the works and the names of Christian authors who had written in Latin on Jews and Judaism.
It was from Battista that Bartolocci obtained the idea and plan of the Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica, as well as part of the material. Battista began the composition of the book in a chronological order, which order was abandoned by Bartolocci. Richard Simon
Richard Simon
Richard Simon was a French Oratorian, influential advanced biblical critic, orientalist, and controversialist.-Early years:...
, in writing in his Bibliothèque Critique about Bartolocci's work, says:
- "It contains much of Jewish learning, but little of judgment, and is conspicuous for a profound ignorance in the most common matters that concern criticism."
Complaints were also made that he devoted space to refutations of Jewish arguments and that his translations from the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
were faulty. On the other hand, Wolf attributes to Bartolocci the motive and stimulus for his own later work.
Even with its faults, the Bibliotheca Rabbinica was a great undertaking. It was the first attempt on a large scale to give to the world an account of the literature of the Jews. It is not a mere bibliographic and biographic compilation, but contains also a number of dissertations on Jewish customs, observances, and religious ideas; on the River Sambation, on the beginnings of Hebrew typography, and the like. Some Hebrew treatises are reprinted in full; for example, "Alphabet of Ben Sira
Ben Sira
Jesus ben Sirach , commonly known simply as ben Sirach or Sirach and also rendered "Jesus son of Sirach" or "Jesus Siracides", was the author of the deuterocanonical Wisdom of Sirach and possibly the rabbinical Alphabet of Sirach...
," "Megillat Antiochus," "Otiot de-R. Aḳiba," and a part of Eldad ha-Dani
Eldad ha-Dani
Eldad ha-Dani or Eldad HaDani or Eldad ben Mahli ha-Dani was a Jewish, Hebrew-writing merchant and traveler of the ninth century. He professed to have been a citizen of an "independent Jewish state" in eastern Africa, probably in the Gihon region, inhabited by people claiming descent from the...
's mythical journey.
Several attempts were made to render Bartolocci's work more accessible. The first who thought of publishing Bartolocci's work, with the omission of its Hebrew texts, etc., was the Oxford scholar Edward Bernard
Edward Bernard
Edward Bernard was an English scholar and Savilian professor of astronomy at the University of Oxford, from 1673 to 1691.-Life:He was born at Paulerspury, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and St John's College, Oxford, where he was a scholar in 1655; he became a Fellow...
. Adrian Reland of Holland attempted to publish in Amsterdam such an extract of the Bibliotheca, but he failed to execute the plan, there appearing in print the biographies alone of such famous exegetes as 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...
, Ibn Ezra
Ibn Ezra
Ibn Ezra was a prominent Jewish family from Spain spanning many centuries.The name ibn Ezra may refer to:* Abraham ibn Ezra , a Rabbi who lived in the eleventh and twelfth centuries...
, David Ḳimḥi
David Kimhi
David 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...
, Levi ben Gershom, and Judah Abravanel, which were embodied in his Analecta Rabbinica (Utrecht, 1702).
Bartolocci left in manuscript a work on the difficult expressions in the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
.
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Attribution