Our מסורה is from the משומד

                What is the מסורה?

The מסורה started in the times of Ezra Hasofer* & The Anshei Knesess Hagedolah. This continued for over a thousand years to the times of the Rabonon Saveroi and early Gaonim.

There are many parts to the מסורה.

Some parts of the מסורה,(there are more) 

1) How many letters and words in each Sefer (Tanach)

2) The טעמים (known as the Trop) 

3) The קרי & כתיב 

4) Nekudos (How to pronounce)

5) Begin & end Pesukim & Parshios

6) How many times the word with the same 

spelling appears.

7)  חסירות ויתירות (spelling)

8) Large & small letters

9) Similar words elsewhere in Tanach

10) When it's the name of Hashem and when not

Because of the מסורה, we have a uniform text of the Tanach, which both the Perushim & Tzedokim agree on.

                 Our מסורה is from the משומד

                      יעקב בן חיים אבן אדוניהו

Yakov ben Chaim and EliyahuBachur were both employed 

as editors in the printing house of Danielle Bombergini. 

Yakov ben Chaim edited the Seforim Bomberg printed.

Among them were the Shas Bavli & Yerushalmi

and the Mikraos Gedolos Chumash. 

Yakov wrote an important and  fabulous Hakdama** for the Mikraos Gedolos Chumash.

He also compiled and organized the Mesorah (Tanach) which was completely disorganized and almost impossible to read.

It is interesting, his co-worker Eliyahu Bachur praises 

his work and curses him in the same sentence.

(for converting)

Eliyahu Bachur writes:

 " I have never seen in any of the previous 

Seforim such perfect, beautiful and organized work as was

done  by the person whose name used to be 

"Yakov, תהי נשמתו צרורה ***בצרור נקוב "

Yakov convinced D.Bomberg to allow him to print his

Mesorah in the Chumash. 

Hence the only Mesorah we have today is from the Meshumad Yakov who compiled, organized and had it printed.

*They were called Sofrim because the counted the 

letters, words, Pesukim and Parshios.(Ms.Kidushin)

** The original Chumashim had his name printed.

In the later  prints, the name was removed and 

replaced as הקדמת המעתיק

***A bundle with a hole (everything falls out.

a play on words based on a Pasuk in Chagi