Menachem Mendel

Menachem Mendel RSS Feed
 
 
 
 

Archive for Talmud

The Talmud and the Economic Meltdown

A new article from Time has been making its way around the blogosphere, but for those who haven’t seen it yet, here is an excerpt,

The Financial Crisis: What Would the Talmud Do?

Would the current financial crisis have been avoided if traders followed Jewish traditions embodied in the Bible and the Talmud? Two scholars from the [...]

The Economist on the Artscroll Talmud

The Economist has an article on the Artscroll Talmud.
For Orthodox Jews, lifelong study of the Talmud is the supreme religious precept. But for many earnest students through the ages, it has been a frustrating grind. Written in Aramaic (often described as the language of Jesus), it does not easily surrender its textual meaning or inner [...]

Rabbi Meir Triebitz on the Talmud

I have come across a number of interesting lectures and articles by R. Meir Triebitz. The lectures are all available in video or MP3 format. I have only listened to parts of them, but I would recommend them to someone who is interested in getting an introduction to issues in the redaction of [...]

The Rest is Commentary

Philologos writes about “The rest is commentary” (ואידך פירושא הוא זיל גמור) (B. Shabbat 31a, translation).
The phrase “everything else is commentary,” or, as it is more frequently encountered, “the rest is commentary,” has in recent years become such a part of the English language that many people are unaware of its Jewish roots. Yet these [...]

How Should Talmud be Read Today

A number of years ago Gorgias Press published How Should Rabbinic Literature Be Read in the Modern World? I haven’t seen the book, but here are some of the contributions.

Richard Sarason, Introduction
Martin Jaffee, University of Washington: “What Difference Does The “Orality” Of Rabbinic Writing Make For The Interpretation Of Rabbinic Writings?”
Alyssa Gray, Hebrew [...]

Shamma Friedman Lecture at JTS-Sept. 16

Prof. Shamma Friedman will be giving a lecture at JTS on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 3:30 p.m. in the Private Dining Room. The title of the lecture is, “What Does Mt. Sinai have to do with Shemita? – Rabbinic Anticipatory Refutation of the Documentary Hypothesis.” The lecture is open to the public. [...]

Just Close Your Eyes

R. Josh Waxman has the latest in piety requirements for airplane travelers. This gemara which I learned this morning seems to be an appropriate comment.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוטה דף כב עמוד ב
ת”ר, שבעה פרושין הן: פרוש שיכמי, פרוש נקפי, פרוש קיזאי, פרוש מדוכיא, פרוש מה חובתי ואעשנה, פרוש מאהבה, פרוש מיראה. פרוש שיכמי [...]

New Printing of Yerushalmi Nezikin

From Benjamin Richler on H-Judaic:
New publication from The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Yerushalmi Neziqin, edited from the Escorial Manuscript, with an
introduction by E.S. Rosenthal; introduction and commentary by S. Lieberman.
Now includes fragments from the Italian Genizah, with introductions by David
Rosenthal. Third printing Jerusalem 2008 (first printing Jerusalem 1983). vi
+ 275 + 39 pp. ISBN [...]

New Edition of the Jerusalem Talmud with the Gr”a

From a post by Benjamin Richler at H-Judaic:

The Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Bikkurim [chapt. i], Part 1. Published for
the first time with the emendations and commentary of Rabbi Eliyahu, the
Gaon of Vilna, from a manuscript written in his own hand, together with
additional emendations and comments found in the notes of his disciples.
Edited by Yedidya Halevi Fraenkel. [...]

Stoning God

A quick midrash which I love from this past week’s parashah from Sotah 35a.

ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אותם באבנים וכתיב (במדבר יד) וכבוד ה’ נראה באהל מועד אמר רבי חייא בר אבא מלמד שנטלו אבנים וזרקום כלפי מעלה

“But the entire community of Israel thought to pelt them with stones” and it is written “Now the [...]