The Wisdom of the Talmud

What It's About

A readable introduction to the Talmud, the vast body of Jewish law, ethics, legend and discussion that has guided Jewish life for centuries. It traces the Talmud's growth from the work of Ezra and the community of returned Babylonian exiles, through its most productive period after Rome's destruction of the Temple, to its later years of attack and censorship. The book moves from the Talmud's character as literature and its historical setting to its teachings on theology, social ethics, personal morality and jurisprudence. Each topic is illustrated with many passages from the Talmud itself, and the closing chapter gathers its proverbs and practical wisdom.

Key Concepts

The Talmud is made up of the Mishnah (the codified oral law) and the Gemara (the rabbis' recorded debates on it). It is not a legal code, because it preserves differing opinions without always settling between them. It works as a supplement to the Bible, explaining and applying Scripture. Alongside its legal material it holds parables, ethical sayings and legends. The book also covers the Karaites, who rejected Talmudic authority, and the medieval and modern campaigns against the Talmud, including book burnings and hostile publications. Bokser writes as a sympathetic guide and defends the Talmud against those charges.

About the Author

Ben Zion Bokser (1907–1984) was a Polish-born American rabbi in the Conservative movement. He was a scholar and teacher of Jewish thought, and he served for many years as a congregational rabbi in New York.