Posted on 02/12/2023 10:52:12 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Tuesday nights in Indianapolis, I have been teaching an introduction to the classic literature of Judaism. This last Tuesday, the topic was the Talmud, an amazing book, unique in world literature, but a book which has been closed, sometimes partially, sometimes nearly entirely, to my students — and how much the more to those who have never come to such a class.
This notwithstanding that the large majority of students in this course are Jewish. But like myself, they were educated in the literature of the general culture, which has relegated religious literature to a place off to the side, away from the mainstream. Even the Bible, which is shared across denominations and religions; how much the more so, a book which has never been widely studied outside of Judaism, save among some outstanding — and influential — scholars.
As Eric Nelson pointed out, the political thinkers in Holland and Britain who were spearheading the drive towards what we call democracy made many of their arguments from religious texts.
After a summary introduction, the class tackled a discussion or two from the Talmud’s text. The topic was contested ownership and the goal was to establish the principles and procedures by which contests over ownership can be resolved in a just and proper way.
The first case was of two people who were both holding on to a garment. Each of them claimed that the garment belonged entirely to them. Neither of them had any proof of ownership aside from their hold on the garment itself. The Talmud ruled that each of the two must swear that they own no less than half of the garment and then the court awards half the garment (that is, half its value) to each of them.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Thanks for posting. My general understanding is the Talmud is a compendium of historical commentary of the Torah (first five books of Hebrew Bible aka Old Testament) given over centuries by Jewish Scholars and Rabbis. Thus, to understand deeper, clearer meanings of these books of Moses, a study of the Talmud is essential.
I read the Talmud some years ago. Now I’m wondering if I still have my copy. My massive collection of books would fill a library and much less organized.
You read the ‘Talmud’? Really?
A page a day of of the Babylonian Talmud takes about 7.5 years. There is also a Jerusalem Talmud, not the same.
Both Talmuds are made up of various opinions and arguments, with sometimes obscure allusions and acronyms, with no intuitive way to determine which opinions are of practical significance.
An Artscroll English Babylonian Talmud digital format is $500. Four times that much for print edition.
Isn’t “The Talmud” the group of religious books that claim the Jews are superior to the non-Jews, to the point that crimes against non-Jews are permitted?
If so, how does that relate to proper “constitutional governance?”
Admittedly, I didn’t read the link.
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