What is Talmud Tweets?

What is Talmud Tweets? A short, personal take on a page of Talmud - every day!

For several years now, I have been following the tradition of "Daf Yomi" - reading a set page of Talmud daily. With the start of a new 7 1/2 year cycle, I thought I would share a taste of what the Talmud offers, with a bit of personal commentary included. The idea is not to give a scholarly explanation. Rather, it is for those new to Talmud to give a little taste - a tweet, as it were - of the richness of this text and dialogue it contains. The Talmud is a window into a style of thinking as well as the world as it changed over the centuries of its compilation.

These are not literal "tweets" - I don't limit myself to 140 characters. Rather, these are intended to be short, quick takes - focusing in on one part of a much richer discussion. Hopefully, I will pique your interest. As Hillel says: "Go and study it!" (Shabbat 31a)

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Shabbat 115 – Bible in Translation

The Mishnah on this page states:

ALL HOLY WRITINGS MUST BE SAVED FROM A FIRE, WHETHER WE READ THEM OR NOT; AND EVEN IF THEY ARE WRITTEN IN ANY LANGUAGE, THEY MUST BE HIDDEN.

That is, biblical texts – be they Torah scrolls or sections from the Prophets or Writings (anything from TaNaCh) must be rescued from a fire even on Shabbat. Now this might be obvious for Torah and Prophets which are read publicly (and ceremonially) – but it also includes sections which are NOT read publicly.

And even biblical texts which are written in translation are considered “sacred” and are not thrown out with unusable – they are stored in chambers (called geniza) until they can be buried.

The question remains if one breaks the Shabbat to save these translations from fire. It is a rabbinic controversy.  

Come and hear: If they are written in Egyptian, Median, a trans[-Euphratean] Aramaic, Elamitic, or Greek, though they may not be read (publicly), they may be saved from a fire.

R. Jose said: They may not be saved from a fire

What about other items written in Hebrew?

Our Rabbis taught: Benedictions and amulets, though they contain letters of the [Divine] Name and many passages of the Torah, must not be rescued from a fire (on Shabbat) but must be burnt where they lie.

The Bible, whether in Hebrew or in translation, is sacred.

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