Prediction is a loser’s game. But if one were to guess the Jewish happening of the moment in the United States of greatest future consequence – the one most likely to be discussed and to have influence 100 years or more from now – you could do much worse than to say the publication of a new English translation of the Talmud by Adin Steinsaltz by Koren publishers, the first volume of which is now available, and was reviewed today in Jewish Ideas Daily by Yehuda Mirsky. The volume’s appearance and the promise of the remainder of the entire great work to be published in the years to come is a landmark in making the text accessible to the millions of Jews whose native (and often only) tongue is English.
The Steinsaltz text is not the Talmud’s first English translation. In his review, Mirsky compares the new Koren edition to the Schottenstein translation, capably published for years by ArtScroll and widely available in Judaica shops and many houses of study. Mirsky praises the Schottenstein English as “lucid” and a great window into Jewish learning, and it certainly is. He also notes the “gravitas” of the ArtScroll format, which in its Talmud as in everything else conveys a valuable sense of tradition and history.
But ArtScroll, perhaps by design, seems incapable of reaching beyond the doors of Orthodox institutions. That gravitas can serve also as a barrier.
Steinsaltz and Koren seem to be up to something different. He reaches beyond even the basic vocalization of the Hebrew into brief English biographies of the various rabbis through whom the Talmud speaks and color illustrations accompanying the text, to say nothing of a planned iPad app. It is the manifestation of a mentality that is fully conversant in a Jewish tradition it feels uncomplicated reverence toward combined with a self-confident desire to use contemporary tools to make that tradition as accessible as possible for as wide an audience as possible. It creates a feel that gives you all the tradition of ArtScroll without any of the distance.
Orthodox publishing efforts in the United States often don’t get their proper due. Even a casual perusal of the offerings in any Judaica shop or through your smart phone or tablet computer of choice reveal a wealth of offerings in English or with English translation on nearly any Jewish topic imaginable. But they haven’t penetrated beyond those already within that community’s embrace. The new Steinsaltz English edition is therefore probably the best chance yet most American Jews have of accessing the central text of their tradition.
In his companion book The Essential Talmud, Steinsaltz notes that all Jewish communities that have lost the study of Talmud have eventually disappeared. His creation of this latest piece of his great corpus testifies both to the depth of his scholarship and the seriousness with which he views his own observation.
Koren has now taken the first step in making the monument of their tradition accessible to all American Jews, regardless of their background or beliefs. If they take it up, the implications will be profound.
This is good to know. But for some reason, I've been under the impression that Rabbi Steinsaltz published his edition years ago.
He did. He started in the late 80's. At Random House, in parallel with a Hebrew edition. This Koren publication appears to be a reboot amplification with online stuff & maybe completes the original cycle. AFIK "the essential talmud" is now decades out. People who are interested and have Hebrew literacy shouldn't be afraid of the ArtScroll–it's perfectly accessible. Maybe if you think Judaism can't survive without an iPad this becomes "the most important event"
And he published his Hebrew edition years before that. From the reviews, this new edition is breathtaking in the scope, depth and sheer amount of new material from his earlier translations. n nThe biggest problem with his Hebrew edition was the failure to preserve the pagination, line endings and page structure (tzuras ha'daf) of the traditional Vilna Shas. This sounds like a quibble until you actually try to transition from one to the other, or you are learning with someone who uses the standard Vilna Shas while you use Steinsaltz. The tzuras ha daf of the Vilna Shas has been the accepted standard for generations in both the ashkenaz and sephardi world, and it was encouraging to read that the his new edition preserves it.
hopefully this will get more Jews interested in Talmud. The real way to study it is in yeshiva, or with chevrusa, or there are many classes at local kollels. You need to know how to learn it in the original Aramaic- this is a very daunting task for the uninitiated. The best thing to do is set aside a set time and keep to it. It will change your life in every aspect for the better. Good luck.
You can see example pages of this book on Amazon, just follow the link in the post. If you do, you'll find that the pages are beautiful and that Rabbi Steinsaltz devoted much work and scholarship to his publication. There are vowels with the text (even with the commentaries on the side like Rashi) so that one can read it all easily. Plus, he's done a superb job of combining the Aramaic with the English. n nThere are also punctuation marks which is interesting. At one time, rabbinic scholars discussed this idea and decided against it. The original text was meant to be given without punctuation so that phrases might be read as a statement, or, possibly, as a question. All the more to stir discussion and debate in our learning. n nFinally, this volume is Brachot, the first tractate of the Talmud. The timing could not be better (and I'm sure this was intentional) because the Daf Yomi cycle begins again in August and, of course, that starts with Brachot. So, this is perfect for those wishing to participate in the Daf. n nWe are indeed fortunate to live in a time when such publications (including the Art Scroll, of course) are so readily available and accessible to the general population, We can all now learn about Judaism and with that learning (or without) practice our religion as best we can.
It's good he included some of the meforshim, I was half expecting "The Talmud of Pooh".
I hope and pray that this English version of the Talmud will lead to a rennaisance among American Jews and a revival of the American Jewish Communities commitment to normative Judaism by making the Talmud widely available to every American Jew. nMy fear though is that anti Semites and Jew haters everywhere will now be able misinterpret these texts as well as take remarks and rabbinic arguments in the Talmud out of context to support their despicable agenda.
The Random House English was never completed- it did four tractates (out of 37). n nThe Koren Bavli Steinsaltz is the same as the standard Hebrew Steinsaltz, in a different format.
The standard size also has color photographs, a nice new touch not seen before. nPity the font of the text is a bit small.
Where is the iPad edition. Siyum hashas is next week, will they be ready?