The Babylonian Talmud

Edited and translated into English
by Michael L. Rodkinson (1918)
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Rodkinson's ten-volume edition contains complete translations of the 'Festivals' and 'Jurisprudence' sections, which are only about one third of the entire Talmud.

Vol. 1: Tractate Sabbath
Tractate Sabbath discusses what can and cannot be done on the Jewish Holy day. This tractate has a wealth of information on everyday Jewish life in late classical times, including, for some reason, a great number of medical recipies. Because almost everything is done differently on the Sabbath, this contains an incredible level of detail about a wide range of household activities including livestock, clothing, meals, horticulture, hunting, and other more obscure topics, such as fire-fighting and feminine hygene. Rodkinson makes the point in an appendix that many of the talmundic regulations which seem to be arbitrary were developed as a response to political persecution. He also includes a prayer which is offered upon the conclusion of studying any tractate.

Vol. 2: Tractates Erubin, Shekalim, & Rosh Hashana
This book contains tractates from section Moed (Festivals). Tractate Erubin deals with regulations concerning travel on the Sabbath, and the proper construction of 'Erub', propitiatory offerings for transgressions of these rules, usually, but not always, constructed of food. Tractate Shekalim deals with tithes. Tractate Rosh Hashana discusses the Jewish New Year.

Vol. 3: Tractates Pesachim, Yomah and Hagiga
This book also contains tractates from section Moed (Festivals), primarily discussions of the rituals to be performed on important holy days: principally Passover and the Day of Atonement. The short third tractate, Hagiga, discusses the Holocaust ceremony (meaning a burnt-offering). Among other points of interest is a description of the ritual of the scapegoat in chapter 6 of Tractate Yomah. Chapter 2 of Tractate Hagiga has a notable digression on a variety of subjects, including the Chariot of God, and the names and characteristics of the seven heavens.

Vol. 4: Tractates Betzh, Succah, Moed Katan, Taanith, Megilla and Ebel Rabbathi or Semahoth
This rounds out the Festivals portion of Rodkinson's translation. Tractate Betzah details regulations about cooking, fishing, hunting and other activities on feast days. Tractate Succah discusses the Festival of the Tabernacles, particularly the construction and use of the booth. Moed Katan is about miscellaneous laws about some minor festivals, for instance activites that are permissible during intercalendary periods. Taanith has discussions about the beginning of the rains, including a sequence of folktales about rainmaking rabbis. Megilla is about Purim, particularly about the public reading of the book of Esther during that festival. Ebel Rabbath is about mourning and other funerary activities.

Vol. 5: Tractates Aboth, Derech Eretz-Rabba, Derech Eretz-Zuta, and Baba Kama (First Gate)
This volume starts out with three tractates on ethics, including the famous Pirqe Aboth (Sayings of the Fathers). This edition of Aboth comes with extensive commentary. The Baba Kama is the first section of the Jurisprudence section. To the modern reader it is of interest because of the unintentional and (sometimes pungent) details of everyday life in first-century Palestine. Many of the Baba Kama cases start when 'an ox gores' someone or something; the modern equivalent would probably be moving vehicle violations. The debates are notable because they are based equally on Scripture and appeals to an emerging standard of common-sense justice and human rights. [TOP]

Vol. 6: Tractate Baba Kama (First Gate), Part II and Tractate Baba Metzia (Middle Gate)
This volume contains the conclusion of Baba Kama, the First Gate, and Baba Metzia, the Middle Gate. The second half of Baba Kama continues with cases involving stolen items. Baba Metzia continues with civil law, particularly cases involving damages: among the topics are found and loaned articles, real estate, loans, titles, what constitutes usury and fraud, and labor law. Many of the cases in Baba Metzia are extremely convoluted. There are a few scattered legends about the life and death of the principal authors of the Talmud, and some notable passages, mostly in chapter 4.

Vol. 7: Tractate Baba Bathra (Last Gate)
This, the third part of the 'Gate' sequence of tractates, deals with issues of civil law regarding property, including real estate, moveable possessions, and inheritance. At times the discussion becomes so hypothetical that Rodkinson, thankfully, skips ahead a bit. Sandwiched in this very dry volume is one wild section of Haggada (at the end of Chapter V) which consists of some very tall tales about fish, alligators, and nautical going-ons. Also, notably, this tractate includes what has to be one of the first attempts to discuss where hermaphrodites fit into the legal framework.

Vol. 8: Tractate Sanhedrin: Section Jurisprudence (Damages)
The subject matter of Tractate Sanhedrin is principally about crime and punishment. One of the most notable discussions in this book is the debate about the 'stubborn and rebellious son' (chapter 8). The rabbis openly express scepticism that a son who disrespects his father in a particular way should be put to death. Out of this quibble over an obscure 'worst case scenario,' we see the emergence of a key principle of jurisprudence: the execution of divine law must be tempered by human mercy. This book also wanders far and wide, dispensing wisdom on such topics as the location of the lost tribes, what the windows on Noah's ark were made of, and when the Messiah is due to arrive.

Vol. 9: Tractates Maccoth, Shebuoth, Eduyoth, Abuda Zara, and Horioth
This final volume of the Rodkinson translation contains the remaining portions of the Jurisprudence section. Tractate Maccoth deals with corporal punishment. Tractate Shebuoth discusses oaths: what constitutes an oath, false oaths, and so on. Tractate Eduyoth is a grab-bag of Mishna without commentary that give various cases related to other Talmud tractates. Tractate Abuda Zara elaborates the biblical commandment not to worship idols; it is of historical interest because of the tangential information about what the idolators (i.e., ancient pagans) did or did not do. Tractate Horioth is another short tractate that discusses a number of very technical issues, including the hierarchy of dogs, cats, and mice.

Vol. 10: History of the Talmud
This is the introduction to Rodkinsons' translation, including a history of the Talmud, starting with its five hundred years of composition from the first to fifth centuries C.E., and its bitter suppression from antiquity through the Reformation up to the 19th century. Includes biographies of the dozens of the authors of the Talmud, and a detailed bibliography through 1900. [TOP]

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