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ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Here is an updated bibliography of Talmud resources for you to use. The evaluations are mine and are meant to guide learners to those resources that will help them the most. Others will have different opinions and you should seek out those evaluations as well as my own.

In essence, whether a resource will work for you depends on what need from it. For those who need an English translation, the following will be of use:

  1. The Soncino Translation. This is the "Mother of All Translations" and can be difficult to understand if you don't already know what's going on. However, with a little background you'll be able to make use of this resource quite well. It's complete and the indexes are truly wonderful. This translation also comes on CD which makes searches a breeze. As to whether you prefer CD or book...that's up to you. If you're going to be doing lots of concordance-style work, that is, looking up the way one word or phrase is used throughout the Talmud.
       
  2. Jacob Neusner's translation of the Yerushalmi, The Talmud of the Land of Israel: A Preliminary Translation and Explanation is the only translation of the Yerushalmi into English. In addition, Neusner has translated and/or edited, a complete translation of Tosefta and is currently at work completing his translation and analysis of the Bavli. He makes these texts accessable to beginners and advanced students of rabbinic literature, alike.
        
  3. The Talmud: The Steinsaltz Edition. This translation has gone out of print although there are still plenty available. These English translations includes Baba Metsia, Ketubot, Taanit and Sanhedrin. These translations work well. His commentary, included with the text, is basically a précis of Rashi. He also provides pointed Hebrew/Aramaic on the page. "Notes" at the bottom of most pages (which correspond to his Iyyunim in his Hebrew version of the Talmud) provide the insights of more than a hundred Talmudic commentators. A summary of halakhah is also included on most pages.
        
  4. The ArtScroll Talmud. This translation shares many advantages with the Steinsaltz Talmud. It provides the Hebrew/Aramaic text but, unlike the Steinsaltz, keeps the format of the Vilna Shas. This translation represents a "yeshivish" approach to Talmud study and almost has the feel of being the transcript of one long yeshivah Talmud study session. The Hebrew transliterations are in Ashkenazic Hebrew. The books are quite expensive. If you are looking for a traditional view of the Talmud, this translation will suit your needs.
       
  5. The El Am Talmud. This series consists of Berachot and some of Bava Metsia and Kiddushin. It's quite limited but what there is is outstanding. The background and scholarly insights are quite good. Pointed Hebrew, illustrations and copious notes make these volumes a good addition to one's library.

For those who want Hebrew/Aramaic only, here are some of your options:

  1. The traditional Shas. The traditional version of the Talmud is obviously a good thing to have and, thankfully, can be bought in very inexpensive forms as well as on CD (www.davka.com)
       
  2. The Steinsaltz Hebrew Talmud. This is Rabbi Steinsaltz's masterwork. He translates the Aramaic into modern Hebrew and gives copious notes about parallel texts as well as all the things he provides in the English edition. So far, 36 volumes have been published.
        
  3. Davka's Judaic Classics on CD-ROM. This CD contains the equivalent of a $10,000 library of books and it has concordance functions that facilitate learning rabbinic literature.

Strategies for Resource Purchase

If you are just beginning to study Talmud, how should you proceed in terms of purchasing all these books. I would advise you to go slowly and see which translations and/or versions work for you.

Secondary Sources

The scholarly interest in Talmud has provided us with so many important insights. I'll name just a few of my favorites here

  1. Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash, H.L. Strack and G. Stemberger. This is the standard, one-volume scholarly book that covers all of rabbinic literature. When purchasing, be sure to look for the name Stemberger, not Strack. This is a translation from the German and the writing may make it tough to read but it is an essential book for anyone studying rabbinic literature to own.
        
  2. Essential Papers on the Talmud, Michael Chernick, ed. This volume offers readers a wide variety of articles from some of today's greatest Talmud scholars.
       
  3. Whatever Jacob Neusner has written lately. Neusner is one of the most prolific and insightful scholars writing on rabbinic literature today. I advise you buy whatever he's written lately because he writes a great deal and his insights change over time. His Introduction to Rabbinic Literature (Anchor Press) is supurb.
        
  4. Talmud for Beginners, Volumes I, II, III, Learning Talmud and A Beginner's Guide to the Steinsaltz Talmud by Judith Abrams.


    Last updated 10/19/2003

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