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The Talmud: A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books Book 28) Kindle Edition
by Barry Scott Wimpfheimer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (26)
The life and times of an enduring work of Jewish spirituality
The Babylonian Talmud, a postbiblical Jewish text that is part scripture and part commentary, is an unlikely bestseller. Written in a hybrid of Hebrew and Aramaic, it is often ambiguous to the point of incomprehension, and its subject matter reflects a narrow scholasticism that should hardly have broad appeal. Yet the Talmud has remained in print for centuries and is more popular today than ever. Barry Scott Wimpfheimer tells the remarkable story of this ancient Jewish book and explains why it has endured for almost two millennia.
Providing a concise biography of this quintessential work of rabbinic Judaism, Wimpfheimer takes readers from the Talmud's prehistory in biblical and second-temple Judaism to its present-day use as a source of religious ideology, a model of different modes of rationality, and a totem of cultural identity. He describes the book's origins and structure, its centrality to Jewish law, its mixed reception history, and its golden renaissance in modernity. He explains why reading the Talmud can feel like being swept up in a river or lost in a maze, and why the Talmud has come to be venerated--but also excoriated and maligned—in the centuries since it first appeared.
An incomparable introduction to a work of literature that has lived a full and varied life, this accessible book shows why the Talmud is at once a received source of traditional teachings, a touchstone of cultural authority, and a powerful symbol of Jewishness for both supporters and critics.
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Part of series
Lives of Great Religious Books
Print length
278 pages
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Review
"An altogether admirable introduction."---Luke Timothy Johnson, Commonweal Magazine
"Winner of the 2018 National Jewish Book Award in Education and Jewish Identity, In Memory of Dorothy Kripke"
From the Back Cover
"Wimpfheimer brilliantly opens the door into the complex and fascinating world of textual study, allowing readers to comprehend the origins, structure, and impact of this foundational Jewish text. Erudite and accessible, this is a book for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the centrality of the Talmud in Jewish scholarship and life."--Tova Mirvis, author of The Book of Separation: A Memoir
"Wimpfheimer provides a masterful and subtle exposition of the complex ways in which the Talmud was formed and received through the generations. His unique capacity to explore this rich history from the dual perspectives of the internal development of Talmudic interpretation and the external reactions and reception is at the root of what makes this book so exquisite."--Moshe Halbertal, coauthor of The Beginning of Politics: Power in the Biblical Book of Samuel
"Wimpfheimer brings a rare combination of talents to this book: a scholar's familiarity with the Talmud's compositional and reception history, a critic's sensitivity to the Talmud's distinctive literary texture, and a public intellectual's feel for the pulse of modernity. The book tells you what the Talmud is and has been, and why it matters as much as or indeed more than ever."--Tzvi Novick, author of What Is Good, and What God Demands
"A very fine book. Wimpfheimer is a first-rate expositor."--Daniel Boyarin, author of A Traveling Homeland: The Talmud as Diaspora
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The Talmud: A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books Book 28)
The Talmud: A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books Book 28)
Product details
ASIN : B078YFFGJ5
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : 17 April 2018
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From other countries
- Eric MaroneyReviewed in the United States on 22 November 2022
Replacing the Codes
The Talmud: A Biography by Barry Scott Wimpfheimer is a well-written and informative journey through the groundwork laid for the Talmud, up to its modern incarnations and possible future.
One important element that the author lays out with great clarity (which I never fully realized before) is that the growth of “codes” to organize and in a sense replace the Talmud in the Middle Ages failed to take hold by a concerted effort by Litvak Jews and the growth of the “modern” yeshiva.
The Litvak yeshiva held the Talmud as the pinnacle of Jewish learning, as it was (and is) so demanding to study. This was a way to assert authority. Wimpfheimer shows us the pride of place of the Talmud among (certain) religious Jews is in fact a modern phenomenon. - Tamas BiroReviewed in Germany on 9 March 2026
A great introduction to the Talmud
A great introdution to everything related to the Babylonian Talmud. But more than that: a great introduction to 2000 years of rabbinic Jewish culture in general. Moreover, I loved the author's distinction between essential Talmud, enhanced Talmud and emblematic Talmud. It is also a great idea to take fire liability as an example, even if some passages are very hard to follow. - J. SilbersteinReviewed in the United States on 19 August 2020
Poorly researched
Good intro but clearly lacking. Apparently, the author never heard of Rabanan Savoraim as he is trying to squeeze some ridiculous hypothesis as to who completed the talmud. Also, makes fantastical claims -- such as hasidism starting off as a anti- Talmudical movement-- all based on a single, faulty source. These two blunders were just too obvious. You would expect from an academic a little better research. - william l greenbergReviewed in the United States on 31 May 2019
Excellent Book
This is an outstanding book, that helps readers understand the complexity of the Talmud. I would highly recommend individuals who study Talmud in Adult Education classes read this book to help bring clarity to their study - jeff kabakReviewed in the United States on 12 April 2019
Amazing
Wimpfheimer is a genius. Illuminating and simplifying what used to be convoluted and sometimes confusing. - noviceReviewed in the United States on 3 April 2019
Not helpful
What should be an overview and history dissolves into aimless, unconnected points. Not useful.
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