The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation And Commentary: 22 Volume Set w/CD

by Jacob Neusner

The Hebrew Scriptures contain many hundreds of laws both religious and civil. They concern the Temple (in Exodus), the priesthood (in Leviticus), the Temple offerings and other rites (in Numbers), and the social order of Israel (in Deuteronomy). These may rightly be called the written law (Torah). The oral law is the extension of these precepts to cover all of life and its contingencies. The oral law (or Mishnah) was written down by rabbinic sages about 200 C.E. With the Talmud, Jewish sages systematized the laws in Scripture together with those of the oral tradition. While the Mishnah records rules governing the conduct of the holy life of Israel, the Talmud concerns itself with the details of the Mishnah. Israel's oral law found its definitive expression in the Talmud. The Talmud of Babylonia (a.k.a., the Bavli, or Babylonian Talmud), is a sustained commentary on the written and oral law of Israel. Compiled between 500-600 C.E., it offers a magnificent record of how Jewish scholars preserved a humane and enduring civilization. Representing the primary document of rabbinic Judaism, it throws considerable light on the New Testament as well. was extraordinarily expensive and difficult to find. Now all 37 Talmudic tractates are available in an affordable 22-volume reprint. Featuring commentary and new introductions by Jacob Neusner, it also includes the full content on CD-ROM. It features: presented in an analytical format that makes logical units easier to follow; Mishnah passages are set in bold type; Passages translated from Aramaic are set in italics; 22 attractive hardcover volumes; and, includes the full set on CD-ROM for effortless searching and research. The CD features: contains the full text of all 37 Talmudic tractates plus introductions and commentary in searchable PDF format. The PDF format allows multi-volume searches and commenting. Adobe Acrobat Reader is also included. System Requirements: WINDOWS - Windows 2000 or Windows XP or better required (Windows 98, ME and earlier not supported); 128 MB RAM; 90 MB free hard disk space (more space required for the optional Full Installation).

Genres: Reference

22 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2006

About the author

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Neusner was educated at Harvard University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (where he received rabbinic ordination), the University of Oxford, and Columbia University.

Neusner is often celebrated as one of the most published authors in history (he has written or edited more than 950 books.)Since 1994, he taught at Bard College. He also taught at Columbia University, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Brandeis University, Dartmouth College, Brown University, and the University of South Florida.

Neusner was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and a life member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University. He is the only scholar to have served on both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. He also received scores of academic awards, honorific and otherwise.