THE TALMUD AS ICON Barry Scott Wimpfheimer

SYMBOLICS OF THE PARIS DISPUTATION 1240

Essential Enhanced

Emblematic

Essential• Composed by rabbis who

reinvent Judaism between 70-

750 CE

• Reads like a conversation

• Many ideas

• Usurpation of God’s authority

• Pluralism

• Unresolved Debates

• Talmud as center of

elite ideological

conversations

• Many different

literatures of

reception (Responsa,

codes, commentaries)

Enhanced

Since at least the 13th century the

Talmud has functioned as a symbol

of Judaism, Jewishness and Jews

Emblematic

Scroll

Codex

1520-1523 Bomberg Talmud

New

Commentary

• 1880s

Romm Vilna

edition

Steinsaltz

Hebrew

Edition

• Artscroll

Schottenstein

Talmud

DAF YOMI

Program of studying a page of Talmud a day

Finish the Talmud every 7.5 years

Recent parties to celebrate have been held in arenas

Metlife Stadium,

New Jersey 2012

Daf Yomi for Kids!

Nehama Golan

“You Shall Walk in Good Ways”