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Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Talmud (Hebrew: תַּלְמוּד)

The Talmud (Hebrew: תַּלְמוּד) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history.

The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah (c. 200 CE), the first written compendium of Judaism's Oral Law; and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), a discussion of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Tanakh.

The Tanakh is the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is the holiest book and highest authority of Judaism, and the Talmud records rabbinical and theological efforts to fully understand the Hebrew Bible, especially where questions arise in real life that are not explicitly answered in the Bible. Thus, some books of the Talmud are devoted entirely to topics of great importance in ancient times, such as agriculture. The Talmud does not present rules issued under its own authority, but presents rabbinical debates reasoning from what is stated in the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh to find answers to new questions.

The terms Talmud and Gemara are often used interchangeably. The Gemara is the basis for all codes of rabbinic law and is much quoted in other rabbinic literature. The whole Talmud is also traditionally referred to as Shas (ש"ס (a Hebrew abbreviation of shisha sedarim, the "six orders" of the Mishnah).

Monday, December 31, 2007

The Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli

The Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli

Step into a "study hall without walls" and feel the electricity, the excitement, the profundity, the beauty, of the Talmud experience.

THE GEMARA: The Classic Vilna Edition, annotated and elucidated, as an aid to Talmud study.

For Whom is the Schottenstein Edition of The Talmud?

  • The intellectually adventurous who seek to savor the classic Jewish learning experience
  • A participant in a regular lecture or study group
  • A father studying with his children
  • A scholar grappling with unfamiliar material or seeking a quick review
  • These new volumes have been prepared by a team of accomplished scholars who distill the essence of the classic sources and commentators.

Acclaimed by a broad spectrum of scholars and laymen, this series fills the need of those who wish to study the Talmud in the classic manner - without over simplification, extraneous material, or unnecessary turgidity.

  • English Edition
  • Available in full-size (9" x 12") and Daf Yomi (7" x 10") Editions
Order by the volume or by the set: The Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli