The morning times., 1896-07-05
NEW BOOKS OF THE WEEK
important Translation and New
Edition of the Talmud.
MISS SEAWELL'S LATEST
Silver Is Coming to Play a Con-
Spicu0uS Part in the Lit
erary Output.
sTuPENpous work almost as signifi.

A STCPENDOUS work almost as sighifi-
~ can't TO tne Jewish layman as tie
II Bible TO the Gentle, and OF most
tngrosSing interest 10 scholars OF all
denominations, is the translation
OF the Talmud, recently consummated by
the learned Michael L. Rodkinson, and now
in process OF publication by the New Amster-
dam COMPANY. The Talmud is the rit ual,
statute book and last authority of the
Jew. Seven millions of Jews adhere TO
It's teachings. The reading of the Talmud
in the original is beset with many and
peculiar difficulties. It's repetitions,
strange idioms, epigrammatic style, intri-
cacles OF thought, ana speech, ana bcund-
less range OF subject have made its perusal
a puzzle. The more welcome is tins new
shaft of light upon the retentive shad
Still il has had perScvering students CON
ming ii these centuries.
Few books" says Dr. Robinson, have
ever received more attention than this
vast storehouse of Jewish knowledge.
Ienas and enemies IL has had. Attack
after attack has been made upon il, and
defense after defense made for it; yet
whether its enemies or defenders have done
il more harm IL would be hard to tell. The
Talmud is not commentary upon the
Bible, nor is il legal code. Neither is
IT a compilation of fixed regulations. In
it's formation 1t embodied the spirit of the
JEWISH people, TtCoIullS lts WoluS aii
thoughts, its hopes and aims, and its
opinions on every branch OF thought and
action, religion and ethics, education,
law, history, geography, medicine, n-athe-
matcs, etc. 1t is neither bigoted, mar
row, nor immoral. 1t knows no authority
hut conscience and reason. Ii is the
bitterest enemy of all superstition and al
fanaticism.''
The accretion during ages of marginal
notes, explanatory passages, and some
times whole phrases and sentences in
serted, either through malice or ignorance,
hy enemies or friends, have left the work
u tangled mass, almost defyiBg reproduc-
ton in a foreign tongue. But DR.. Rodkin-
son has dar-u brave the mesnes and he
has with the success known hv apprecil'ivr
scholars carefully unravelled, shaved
away and eliminated the prosiemS OF the
work. He now presents the text con-
secutve and clear. The edition will con-
sist of twelve volumes, one appearing quar-
terly.
The Talmud covers 5,154 pages of He
braic characters. The entire Talmud con-
tains two distinct departments, viz: %
the Oral Law" called "Mishna," " and t2)
"Ccnclusion," called "Gamara." The
"Oral Law or "Mishna" was compiled in
Palestine by Rabbi Jehudah Hanassi, at
the beginning of the second century, and
was divided into six sections: Plants
Festivals" women" Jurisprudence.
Holiness and Purity Conclusion"
or "Gemara' comprises a compilation OF
discussion and commentaries upon the
"Oral Law These discussions Were car
ried on in colleges, especially established
for such purpose, in Babylon during a
period of five centuries, and were finally
closed and sealed with the injunction that
nothing more be added. The six sections
Of the Oral Law are ag ain subdivided into
n number OF treatises under different appel
lations. Thirty-five of these We're dis
cussed and commented upon in the Baby
lonian colleges and constitute tue sIalnud
proper. These tbirt y-five treatises will
he translated and embodied In the present
edition.