Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ken Penner" <pennerkm AT mcmaster.ca>]

The Talmud is relatively accessible now, thanks to the internet:

Palestinian: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/r/r0.htm or
http://kodesh.snunit.k12.il/b/r/r0.htm
Babylonian: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/l/l0.htm or
http://kodesh.snunit.k12.il/b/l/l0.htm

Scans: http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/talmud/indexeng.htm or
http://www.e-daf.com/

English Translation: http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm

Ken Penner, M.C.S. (Biblical Languages, Greek Focus), M.A. (Hebrew Poetry)
Ph.D. (cand.), McMaster University
pennerkm AT mcmaster.ca
Hebrew vocabulary software: http://s91279732.onlinehome.us/flash or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flash_pro/join

> > >Lack of copies of the Talmud in all the major
> > > public libraries in my area is also suspicious.
> >
> > Yes, it is. Your librarians are obviously anti-Semites. Now let's be
> > serious. The Talmud is a multi-volume, highly specialized 
> legalistic text
> > in an Aramaic dialect not used by anyone else. Jews begin 
> to study the
> > Talmud after several years of preliminary study. There are 
> not a lot of
> > good English translations, and those that do exist are also 
> expensive. Why
> > should a public library put out good money for an expensive 
> series that
> > nobody's going to read. Go to any university that has a 
> serious Jewish
> > Studies program and you'll find a copy.
> 
> Every edition I've ever seen also costs as much as some new 
> cars, and I have 
> yet to see a public library that had enough money...I suggest that if 
> Jonathan thinks this is a serious problem in his area, 
> perhaps he could foot 
> the bill and buy a Talmud for his local public library.  I'm 
> sure they would 
> be happy to accept the donation!