Talmud: The Second Bible of the Jews

Author: Sanya
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The Talmud is one of the most important classics after the Old Testament for the Jewish people. It is a treasure trove of wisdom from 5,000 years of Jewish civilization and a golden key to unlocking the extraordinary intelligence of the Jewish people. The Talmud has been widely circulated around the world and has been translated into approximately 15 languages. Especially, every Jewish person has a copy, studying it from birth to death, always finding new insights. It not only teaches the Jewish people what to think but also teaches them how to think. With a consistent voice, it constructs the worldview of the Jewish people. It is like a kind and lovable friend or a profound scholar, always engaging in conversation and discussion with every Jewish person, piercing the trivialities of life, and making one feel the fresh wisdom and the power that touches everything. The complete Talmud consists of 20 volumes, totaling 12,000 pages and 2.5 million words, with extensive and complex content, intricate threads, covering everything from religion, law, folklore, ethics, medicine, and superstition to daily routines, diet, bathing, clothing, and sleep. It begins with the prophecies of the Old Testament, followed by myths, poems, fables, moral reflections, and historical memories, with a wide range of themes and vivid content. Although one-third of it is Midrash, which includes admonitions and moral teachings, it does not feel rigid or stiff. If the Old Testament is an eternal book, then the Talmud is the companion of daily Jewish life, full of 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 tells the stories of figures; 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. The Talmud is ranked alongside the Bible, Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics, and Islam's Quran as one of the great works that have influenced human civilization, truly an eternal classic.