Incunabula Leaf - the Ralbag on the Torah - [Mantova, 1476] - One of the First Hebrew Books Ever Printed! - ...

Incunabula Leaf - the Ralbag on the Torah - [Mantova, 1476] - One of the First Hebrew Books Ever Printed! - Handwriting-Like Fonts
A leaf from the commentary of the Ralbag on the Torah. [Mantova], [1475 (?)]. Avrahan ben Shlomo Conat printing press. Incunabula.

One of the first books of the Hebrew printing presses
The first Hebrew book whose date of printing is known for certain is Rashi's commentary on the Torah which was printed in Reggio di Calabria in 1475. The book before us is not dated. However, researchers assume that it was printed in 1475, 1476 or even earlier!

The development of Hebrew printing
The Ralbag's commentary on the Torah was printed in the first years after the printing of the first Hebrew book in 1475 as is indicated also by its external appearance: books during the first years of Hebrew printing, books did not have title pages (these became customary only since 1489). In addition, the leaves of the books were not numbered. The custom of printing the word that appears at the head of the next page on the edge of the previous page was still unknown and the pages are not titled.
The most remarkable indication of the book being an extremely early one is the shape of its letters (fonts). The first printed books in Italy during the years 1475-1475 were still influenced by the handwritten copies of the books before the invention of the printing press and therefore, their printed letters were in the form of handwritten letters. The place of printing and the name of the printer were printed in Sephardic script, Ashkenazic script or like in the book before us, in Italian Ashkenazic script.
Moreover, researchers assume that the printed letters in the book before us were in the form of the letters of the handwriting of Conat himself since Conat was a copyist scribe before he became a printer.
Script-like letters were stopped being used, only in 1483 when the members of the Soncino family produced stylish metal letters.

The printing press of Avraham Conat
The printing press of Avraham Conat was one of the first Hebrew printing presses in history. It started its operation in the city of Mantova approximately thirty five years after the invention of the printing press by the German Johannes Gutenberg. Due to its antiquity, not much is known about it. It was most likely operative during the years 1473-1476. However, some researchers believe that it was founded only in 1475. We know of at least eight Hebrew books that Avraham Conat printed in Mantova. The well-known researcher A.M. Haberman
Avraham Conat was a pious Jew who wrote a prayer about his yearning for God (printed by A.M. Haberman in his booklet 'Ha'Madpis Conat Ve'Otiyotav' [The printer Conat and His Letters]).
Conat's wife Estalina helped him in his work of printing. Researchers assume that she was a partner to the printing of the seven books printed by Avraham. Estalina was the first Jewess who is known as a typesetter. Her role was to copy the manuscript and prepare them for printing. Another assistant of Avraham Conat was Avraham Yedidya Ha'Ezrachi of Koln, Germany who helped him professionally and financially. It should be noted that in the printing presses of Mantova, the printing was called "writing" and the printer was called "scribe" (this in the colophons of the books).
One of the most prominent researchers of Hebrew printing, A.M. Haberman, claims that Avraham Conat was the first Hebrew printer (!) who founded his printing house in circa 1470 in Mantova and thus was the printer of the first Hebrew books that were ever published. The reason he did not announce that he was the first Hebrew printer might be that he was afraid that the innovation was liable to be perceived as a deviation from the tradition of copying manuscripts and thus not many will want to buy his books.

The leaf before us
The leaf before us is from the Ralbag's commentary on Parashat Trumah regarding the Ark of the Covenant and the cherubs on it. The first page begins with the words: "Mi'Ma Sh'Nizkar be'Sefer Yechezkel" (From what is mentioned in the book of Yechezkel), while the second page begins with the words: "Ha'Coach Ha'Domeh".
The complete book contains [412] leaves according to the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book or [407] leaves according to the National Library.
The book is extremely rare; thus, the importance of one leaf from it.

Ralbag's Commentary
When it was published, Ralbag's commentary on the Torah was one of the most popular commentaries on the Torah as indicated by it being printed during the first decade of Hebrew printing (Mantova 1476). In his commentary, the Ralbag often refers to his philosophical book "Milchamot Hashem" as he does in the leaf before us.
Condition: Good. The first page is in reasonable condition. The second page is worn and stained, with damage to less than 25% of the text. A tear in the margins of the leaf causes omission of several words in the two pages.