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THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD (10 BOOKS WITH COMPLETE 20-VOLUME TALMUD FOR COLLECTION OF JEWISH LAWS AND TRADITIONS) - Annotated BELIEFS IN JUDAISM AND TALMUD
The Talmud is a vast collection of Jewish laws and traditions. Despite the dry subject matter the Talmud makes interesting reading because it is infused with vigorous intellectual debate, humor and deep wisdom. As the saying goes, 'you don't have to be Jewish' to appreciate this text. If you put in the hard work required to read the Talmud, your mind will get a world-class workout. The process of studying the Talmud has been compared with the practice of Zen Buddhist Koan meditation, and for good reason.
Book 1: Tract Sabbath
Tract Sabbath discusses what can and cannot be done on the Jewish Holy day.
Book 2: Tracts Erubin, Shekalim, Rosh Hashana
Tracts from section Moed (Festivals). Tract 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.
Book 3: Tracts Pesachim, Yomah and Hagiga
Continuing with tracts from section Moed (Festivals). These are primarily discussions of the rituals to be performed on important holy days: principally Passover and the Day of Atonement. The short third tract, Hagiga, discusses the Holocaust ceremony, (meaning a burnt-offering), which today has come into use as a term for the Nazi genocide.
Book 4: Tracts Betzh, Succah, Moed Katan, Taanith, Megilla and Ebel Rabbathi or Semahoth
Completing the Festivals portion of Rodkinson's Talmud translation. Tract Betzah details regulations about cooking, fishing, hunting and other activities on feast days.
Book 5: Tracts Aboth, Derech Eretz-Rabba, Derech Eretz-Zuta, and Baba Kama (First Gate)
This book starts out with three tracts on ethics, including the lucid and moving Pirqe Aboth (Sayings of the Fathers).
Book 6: Tract Baba Kama (First Gate), Part II and Tract Baba Metzia (Middle Gate)
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, more so than usual.
Book 7: Tract Baba Bathra (Last Gate)
This, the third part of the 'Gate' sequence of tracts, deals with issues of civil law regarding property, including real estate, moveable possessions, and inheritance, in the usual great detail.
Book 8: Tract Sanhedrin: Section Jurisprudence (Damages)
The subject matter of Tract Sanhedrin is principally crime and punishment. One of the most notable discussions in this book is the debate about the 'stubborn and rebellious son'.
Book 9: Tracts Maccoth, Shebuoth, Eduyoth, Abuda Zara, and Horioth
This is the final book of the Rodkinson translation of the Talmud; it contains the remaining portions of the Jurisprudence section. Tract Maccoth deals with corporal punishment. Tract Shebuoth discusses oaths: what constitutes an oath, false oaths, and so on. Tract Eduyoth is a grab-bag of Mishna without commentary which give various cases related to other Talmud tracts. Tract 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. Tract Horioth is another short tract which discusses a number of very technical issues, including the hierarchy of dogs, cats and mice.
Book 10: History of the Talmud
This is the introduction to Rodkinsons' Talmud translation.
Book 1: Tract Sabbath
Tract Sabbath discusses what can and cannot be done on the Jewish Holy day.
Book 2: Tracts Erubin, Shekalim, Rosh Hashana
Tracts from section Moed (Festivals). Tract 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.
Book 3: Tracts Pesachim, Yomah and Hagiga
Continuing with tracts from section Moed (Festivals). These are primarily discussions of the rituals to be performed on important holy days: principally Passover and the Day of Atonement. The short third tract, Hagiga, discusses the Holocaust ceremony, (meaning a burnt-offering), which today has come into use as a term for the Nazi genocide.
Book 4: Tracts Betzh, Succah, Moed Katan, Taanith, Megilla and Ebel Rabbathi or Semahoth
Completing the Festivals portion of Rodkinson's Talmud translation. Tract Betzah details regulations about cooking, fishing, hunting and other activities on feast days.
Book 5: Tracts Aboth, Derech Eretz-Rabba, Derech Eretz-Zuta, and Baba Kama (First Gate)
This book starts out with three tracts on ethics, including the lucid and moving Pirqe Aboth (Sayings of the Fathers).
Book 6: Tract Baba Kama (First Gate), Part II and Tract Baba Metzia (Middle Gate)
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, more so than usual.
Book 7: Tract Baba Bathra (Last Gate)
This, the third part of the 'Gate' sequence of tracts, deals with issues of civil law regarding property, including real estate, moveable possessions, and inheritance, in the usual great detail.
Book 8: Tract Sanhedrin: Section Jurisprudence (Damages)
The subject matter of Tract Sanhedrin is principally crime and punishment. One of the most notable discussions in this book is the debate about the 'stubborn and rebellious son'.
Book 9: Tracts Maccoth, Shebuoth, Eduyoth, Abuda Zara, and Horioth
This is the final book of the Rodkinson translation of the Talmud; it contains the remaining portions of the Jurisprudence section. Tract Maccoth deals with corporal punishment. Tract Shebuoth discusses oaths: what constitutes an oath, false oaths, and so on. Tract Eduyoth is a grab-bag of Mishna without commentary which give various cases related to other Talmud tracts. Tract 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. Tract Horioth is another short tract which discusses a number of very technical issues, including the hierarchy of dogs, cats and mice.
Book 10: History of the Talmud
This is the introduction to Rodkinsons' Talmud translation.
5860 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
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About the author
Michael Levi Rodkinson
396 books7 followersMichael Levi Rodkinson (1845–1904) was an American-Jewish publisher, known for being the first to translate the Babylonian Talmud to English.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 12, 2025
jesus christ loved hookers
May 12, 2020
This book, the Babylonian Talmud, I'd recommend this to anyone who's into religious texts, especially any of the Abrahamic religions. This is a treasure box and an absolute hoot as well! This pretty much even has internet forum flame wars in it from over a thousand years ago! My favorite sacred book, and I've read bunches.
I haven't actually read this exact edition, but they should be the one and the same.
I haven't actually read this exact edition, but they should be the one and the same.
February 10, 2021
The far more famous and extensively read of the two canon Talmuds (the other being the Jerusalem Talmud).
It was pretty interested, I only dipped in here and there. It is exciting historically as the foundation of 'literary criticism ' (unless you see Plato/Aristotle as starting that genre). It is however a bit like a really big HBO show: there are a lot of characters and internal references that are hard to grasp the meaning of unless you do a lot of external reading.
I am not religious even though I am a Jew, but if you ever have a few afternoons spare, once in your life dipping into Rabbinic Mishnah is probably worth it, there is a lot of quite fascinating historical things to oogle at in these texts.
It was pretty interested, I only dipped in here and there. It is exciting historically as the foundation of 'literary criticism ' (unless you see Plato/Aristotle as starting that genre). It is however a bit like a really big HBO show: there are a lot of characters and internal references that are hard to grasp the meaning of unless you do a lot of external reading.
I am not religious even though I am a Jew, but if you ever have a few afternoons spare, once in your life dipping into Rabbinic Mishnah is probably worth it, there is a lot of quite fascinating historical things to oogle at in these texts.
March 10, 2025
Took all of 2024, some very fun bits, some effective sleep aids. This might be THE great book with zero potential for film adaptation. I kept thinking about that the whole time, since I watched the Passion of the Christ near the beginning. Maybe a 12 Angry Men / Ace Attorney format with Yohanan / Akiva / the gang debating and some cutaway scenes. Excited to dive into the rabbinical literature after this. Would recommend to fellow seculars. The lawyerly engagement with God and moral codes is refreshing.
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March 27, 2021I'd our highs
March 12, 2022
I confess: this is over my head. I'd like to walk away now and rerurn witha teacher to guide me through this maze.
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May 24, 2025bad
May 29, 2025
Very cool!!! Super helpful
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews