Talmud

Author: Sanya
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: A Collection of Jewish Wisdom. The entire 20 volumes of the Talmud contain 12,000 pages and 2.5 million words, with extensive and complex content. It covers a wide range of topics, from religion, law, folklore, ethics, medicine, and superstition to daily life aspects such as living habits, diet, bathing, clothing, and sleep. It begins with the prophecies of the Old Testament Bible, followed by myths, poems, fables, moral reflections, and historical recollections, with diverse and vivid content. Although one-third of it is Midrash, which consists of moral teachings and sermons, it does not feel rigid or stiff. If the Old Testament Bible is an eternal book, then the Talmud is the companion of Jewish daily life, filled with life wisdom and sound advice for dealing with crises. It is not a history book, yet it discusses history; it is not a biographical work, yet it narrates the lives of individuals; it is not an encyclopedia, yet it encompasses everything. It is precisely this that has nurtured the model of Western civilization and become the source of Jewish wisdom. Alongside the Bible, Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics, and the Islamic Quran, it is regarded as one of the great works that have influenced human civilization, truly an enduring classic.