Translation Completed
15 years in the works, English Talmud makes ancient text more accessible.
CHANAN TIGAY
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
y
New York
ou don't have to know Hebrew or Aramaic any
more to become a Talmudic scholar.
Indeed, say those behind the Schottenstein
Artscroll English translation of the Talmud — whose
73rd and final volume was published this week —
some Jews have completed study of nearly the whole
series of Talmudic tractates without speaking a lick of
either language.
"Many of them attribute the fact that they've been
able to get through the Schottenstein text to the fact
that we've been able to remove the language barrier for
them and elucidate the text in a way that is compre-
hensible and relevant," said Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz,
chairman of the Mesorah Heritage Foundation, a non-
profit group that funded the project.
"This major translation is accessible to those of all
backgrounds of Jewish education," said Rabbi Dov
Loketch of Agudas Yisroel Mogen Abraham in
Southfield.
"The word Talmud has had a bad rap in American
culture and even in some quarters of Jewish literature.
It is sometimes misconstrued to be something not hav-
ing much relevance in modern daily Jewish life. But
the ease of the translation of this Talmud allows the
real essence of the Talmud to be accessible to the mass-
es who will be able to appreciate its rich heritage."
The publication of the final volume of Tractate
Yevamot marks the culmination of a 15-year, $20 mil-
lion effort that has seen as many as 80 scholars at a
time working on the more than 35,000 pages in the
series, in locations from New York to Baltimore to
Cleveland to Jerusalem to B'nei Fmk.
The project. "introduces the Talmud to people who
have never studied it," said Rabbi Nosson Scherman,
general editor of Mesorah, the series' publisher. "It has
never been done before in English with this depth and
accuracy."
On Feb. 9, the complete Talmud set was presented
to the Library of Congress in Washington in a special
dedication ceremony to be chaired by the leadership of
both the U.S. House of Representatives and the
Senate.
Rabbinic Shorthand
IN
2/10
2005
56
The Talmud comprises 36 tractates of rabbinic discus-
sion and commentary on Jewish civil and religious law.
Likely assembled between the first half of the third
century C.E. and the year 499 C.E., it often expresses
itself in a shorthand confusing to the uninitiated.
The Artscroll translation — Rabbi Scherman prefers
to call it an "elucidation" — overcomes this obstacle by
offering a literal translation in bold type, interspersed
$250,000. On average, it takes four English pages to
with "connecting words" making clear the text's intent
explain one Hebrew page.
to less-experienced readers.
Rabbi Loketch, who owns the entire 72 previously
The Schottenstein edition, which takes an
translated volume,s said, "I have been following the
Orthodox approach to Talmudic study, also offers
translation of this Talmud right from the beginning of
extensive notes on the text and suggestions on further
volume one and will purchase this final one."
research.
Experts cite two other major English translations of
Some non-Orthodox scholars have noted that
the Talmud. The Soncino edition, published in the
Artscroll does not use archaeology or ancient languages
mid-20th century and sometimes called "the mother of
to elucidate the text, nor does it consider the Greco-
all Talmud translations," offers a literal rendering of the
Roman culture that was influential at the time of the
Talmudic text.
Talmud's composition.
The more recent Steinsaltz edition — now out of
Rabbi Judith Hauptman, a professor of Talmud at
print — shares several of the advantages of the
the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological
Artscroll, though full translations of all 36 tractates
Seminary in New York, called the Artscroll translation
were never completed.
"a marvelous teaching tool" that allows her students to
"Never in the last 1,000 years of Jewish history has
come to class better prepared.
such a talented team of scholars been assembled to pro-
Still, Rabbi Hauptman said, "it is an ideological
duce such a monumental project as the Schottenstein
translation. They have a certain point of view — that
Edition of the Talmud, "Jay Schottenstein, whose family
the Talmud is the greatest book of the Jewish people
donated millions of dollars to the project, said.
and the Talmud is always right — and they translate
The completion of the Artscroll translation does not
accordingly, which can sometimes be frustrating."
mean that the company's scholars are slowing down:
In the 1960s, JTS
They are now about halfway through the
began publishing its
Hebrew edition, seven volumes into a French
own translation of the
translation and getting started on a translation
Talmud, known as El
of the Jerusalem Talmud.
Am, but put out por-
The Mishnah, or oral interpretation of
tions of only three trac-
Halachah (Jewish law), was actively studied'
....
.....1f1
.
we:
tates.
both in Israel and in Babylon, and a distinct
.....,.........
"It did seek to incor-
Talmud
came out of each locale. The Artscroll
,....*
'*;
........
r..
7 .r.
... H
:74.....a ..kilak*.............• i ,
porate critical questions,
translation is of the Babylonian Talmud.
and it was a failure," said
"If we had known in the beginning how
0.4
David Kraemer, a
hard it would be and how much money it
Talmud professor at the
would have taken to do it, we never would
a.............
.""."'
"
7
seminary. "It failed for a
have done it," Rabbi Scherman said. "Thank
,e.aossula to•
.1,.............1 ". ..6%
.". """..'
..or
very good reason: The
God we didn't know." ❑
critical commentary
overwhelmed the text
JN Staff Writer Shelli Liebman Dorfman
itself."
contributed to this report.
.
€1113111131D. 01,0112.71.1 [MON
Chapter 'Mat
Miafmah 1,4<fia
ritaa.a,a.Theasotaaranuttm.1.40., aroma, OA.,
rea,a <pap - ax, tan
•, <Vga<matanasata.naomaammeae *WA. •••1.*00ortwor,ampa,
44.1.,...ex. +<1. - ..71<e
Nei Wee
ffiot.11rte goWt.R•40. *KY.
yoad..4 mpg,
-
J.., v. wow
Atom <Rya maw get YAW A aw<W1 maim a
i•
as sa. a.. a.< *6, aaat ails -PA la do*,
ir
.ewt.enet-
• . i : :,. .
., , ,. .s.s. :a e. iii: . .in
. . . , . . . . . . le . . . ..: ....
. . tt.............4
. . ,. ..,. . . . . . . . . . s. . . ., . ,.
Wt.
1.....i.i..........
' .....,7* 6,1,............6.........<11.4.4,.........
.....I. ..< .............pora 1,..< Itiaa .....,................,......1...
a.,... a....,.,
11.427....
la, .............................< 1. /ft malootbelo*Ye.<0.,*.e..,
t,.
apt.< 2....<1.m...............,<*g.bawma
v... 1.....* rep are,
asopoR,Vot ../nom metre
.......... fe..........a.........,..........ft
i: :
'"'"""4"" n<4.
**
***
*'"""
<«aralt*sari
"""a"' ra'2.0*
.""*"*
a. rak=ni<mt
''" tr ..3
**"" .
a.<2.ii< %< ee IR...<
an- ,,,,,. •'
1 ta...........“.... : .
,......s........ :
a<0.7:
...
77.
..,...
aa: .7
..<
..,..
: _n..
......... <
.......
ea<, .... 1,•• ....""' '''... '
... <a:: : ........aK amok,/ .
.. L..
.
..........-:
4. N. O.. ..... :
rt.,1■
'*.
f . a .."*"
.. ..' :
pate
,......
.se at .....,
steit ” ,,,,.........e.
..
......
...:4 ......,
113..a.
:
<A ae Nao sr...
ittal* ,11.,
**
.....:Z
...Vt.* e.............t.....,........<
+.41.
-oraeowear•
(r4Tr"'
...PC
'
.... O... ...My* tv,........g.... 0.
<6.mal
-
*am,. Wait.
owai
Limited Editions
Since the project's sec-
ond year, Artscroll writ-
ers and editors have turned out
one volume every nine weeks.
An average of 20,000 copies
of each volume have been
printed, with more popular
tractates getting runs of
50,000 to 60,000 copies.
The just-
Each volume, which
completed
includes the original
Schottenstein
Hebrew text facing
Artscroll English .
English-language pages,
Talmud translation.
cost Mesorah roughly