Swimming in the Sea of Talmud: Lessons for Everyday Living

by Rabbi Michael Katz, Rabbi Gershon Schwartz

A clear, accessible guide to reading and understanding the Talmud. This book offers a unique introduction to the study of the Talmud and suggest ways to apply its messages and values to contemporary life. Imaginatively conceived, this volume is recommended for both individuals and group study sessions.

Genres: Judaism, Religion, Jewish, Theology, Judaica

368 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 1997

Reviews

[Lisa Feld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I’d known about this book when I was starting to learn Jewish texts as an adult; it would have made things a million times easier!

First off, this book starts with basic terminology and context that even introductory Talmud courses often assume you know, and it validates the feelings many of us have when we first tackle the steep learning curve of studying Talmud. For example, it explains how the Tannas (early sages) and Amoras (later sages) got their names in a way that helps keep them straight, and why the words Talmud and Gemara are sometimes used interchangeably.

The middle of the book is a gentle tour of the Talmud: it takes sample texts from the various sections of the Talmud (in order) and telescopes outward from a wise saying to a law or story in the Talmud that applies that saying, to context about how the sages understood this story or principle, and finally how that concept applies in the modern world. A particular (and rare) joy for me is that the authors recognize that their audience is not exclusively male, and use a mix of genders in their modern examples. And they don’t shy away from the more difficult texts, which I also appreciate.


And finally, the end of the book has a glossary and the most helpful table of Talmudic rabbis I’ve seen.

I highly recommend this as a text for beginners, but even rabbinical students or rabbis can enjoy it or use it as a model for teaching.

[Joe Q. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors do a good job of extracting pithy aphorisms and "life wisdom" from the Talmud, which in turn provides an interesting introduction to this material for newbies. Ultimately it is more about the sayings of the Talmudic sages than it is about the Talmudic text itself. If you have any experience with the Talmud you'll probably find this book fairly unfulfilling. I thought it was well-written and an interesting concept, but probably too long, and I gave up about 1/3 of the way through.

[Nina L. Stasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book's unique set-up does not work well in Kindle format. Better to use a print book.

[Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent intro.