Colophon: Elye Bokher’s Petaḥ devaray

Cornelio Adelkind was an Italian printer of German descent. Adelkind worked in Daniel Bomberg’s printing house in Venice and formed a close attachment to the Bomberg family (he named his son Daniel). Adelkind also on occasion worked for other Venetian printers, among them Dei Farri and Giustiniani. While working for Bomberg, he was involved in the printing of numerous books, among them editions of the Bible, prayer books, commentaries, and the Talmud. Adelkind moved to Sabbioneta in 1553, at the invitation of the printer Tobia Foà. There he supervised the printing of the Talmud. However, following the ban on publishing the Talmud, issued in 1553, only a few tractates were printed. Adelkind continued to work for Foà until 1555. Adelkind was also involved in printing Yiddish works, including the translation of the Psalms by Elye Bokher (Elijah ben Asher Levita). Some scholars have suggested that Adelkind converted to Christianity.