SEDER HAGGADAH SHEL PESAH BE-LASHON HA-KODESH U-FITRONO BILSHON ITALIANO (ORDER OF THE PASSOVER HAGGADAH IN THE HOLY TONGUE AND IN JUDEO-ITALIAN), VENICE: GIOVANNI CALEONI FOR PIETRO, ALVISE AND LORENZO BRAGADIN, 1629

Yaari 41; Yerushalmi 49, 50; Yudlov 55; Cecil Roth, "Illustrated Haggadot in Print" Areshet 3 (1961), pp.7-30 (Hebrew).

In 1609, a Haggadah of singular beauty was published in Venice by Israel ben David Zifroni, a veteran printer and copy editor of Hebrew books in Italy and Switzerland  This Haggadah appeared in three versions, with translations and instructions in Judeo-German (Yiddish), Judeo-Italian, and Judeo-Spanish (Ladino), all printed in Hebrew letters.  Other than the vernacular translation, the major difference between the editions can be found in the Birkat ha-Mazon (Grace after Meals) where each of the three communities steadfastly maintained similar yet clearly distinct and divergent versions. Each of the three was flanked by the same decorative borders and included the same visual imagery, woodcut illustrations of the Passover ritual, often executed as miniature vignettes framed by large decorated initial letters as well as scenes depicting the story of the Exodus from Egypt and biblical personages.

The three volumes of Passover haggadot proved to be exceedingly popular in the linguistically diverse Jewish community of Venice, and twenty years later in 1629, this significantly enhanced edition appeared. Perhaps the most important innovation was the inclusion of Tseli Esh (Roasted in Fire), an abridgement by Leone Modena of Isaac Abrabanel's Zebah Pesah (Passover Sacrifice).  In his introduction, Modena justifies the inclusion of a learned commentary in these illustrated haggadot by stating that as they "already include drawings to delight the eyes, how much better to add explanations which will delight the soul." To accommodate the addition of the commentary, the size of the paper was increased and the margins enlarged.  The commentary was placed within the architectural columns on the sides of each page while the Judeo-Italian translation appears after each paragraph of text.  A further improvement resulted when the numerous illustrations were redistributed more evenly throughout, thus effecting a more pleasing overall presentation.

The present edition was commissioned by Moses ben Gershon Parenzo, the last of three generations of Hebrew printers, and issued by the Bragadini press. The durability and popularity of Parenzo's basic design is confirmed by this Haggadah's subsequent reprinting by later Venetian printers in 1663, 1695, 1716 and 1740.