Reshimu_3_journal_no.. - Hashkafa Circle

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The Redaction of the Babylonian Talmud in Rabbi Y.I. Halevy’s Dorot HaRishonim theories of Graetz and Weiss, so much so that his own theory largely arises out of the rhetoric directed against them. I will not get into the theories of Graetz and Weiss beyond presenting the context of Halevy’s discussion 48 . According to Graetz and Weiss, at a very young age 49 R’ Ashi reestablished the defunct academy at Sura 50 , essentially opening his own academy and breaking away from the main body of Babylonian scholarship. The picture presented by Graetz and Weiss is that of a young man, a loner, almost a renegade, not yet learned enough to be thoroughly familiar with the tradition, nor old enough to have the respect of the generation. This man opened an academy, presumably gathered a following of some sort, and chose a topic to be covered at each of the bi-annual “kalla” sessions 51 of the academy at Sura. The proceedings of these sessions were recorded and set down as the body of the Babylonian Talmud. R’ Ashi’s career as head of this academy lasted 30 years; two yearly sessions totals 60 sessions, corresponding to the 60 Tractates of the Talmud Bavli which were all covered. Halevy understood that the approaches of Graetz and Weiss serve to entirely undermine the authority of the Talmud Bavli as the primary pillar of the Oral tradition. By casting R’ Ashi as a independent actor, and his work as the private proceedings of his academy, unendorsed by his peers, they effectively severed the connection between the Oral tradition passed on from generation to generation and the Babylonian Talmud. Halevy sees as a recurrent theme in the work of 48 Graetz and Weiss developed their descriptions along similar, but not identical lines. I generalize here for the sake of staying within the parameters of our discussion. 49 The lowest estimates put him at 14 or 19. 50 It should be noted that according to R’ Sherira Gaon the cities Sura and Mata Mechasia are one and the same. 51 The Kalla was a bi-annual convention during which many non-regular students would gather for a month to study in the academy and hear discourses from its leaders. 24
Rabbi Moshe Becker these historians an attempt disqualify the Talmud and the tradition it represents, and attacks this position with full vigor 52 . First, he argues, it is inconceivable that R’ Ashi would have been able to accomplish what he did under the conditions they describe. A young man who had not spent considerable time studying under the leaders of his generation would not have been in a position to put together all the material 53 . He would have lacked much basic information as well as the background and sensitivities needed to put everything in its context. Further, from the sheer quantity of the information one must infer that he was operating with the cooperation of the other scholars of his generation, who assisted in the endeavor by sharing all their traditions and information. 54 The second component of Halevy’s attack is simply all the internal and textual evidence testifying to a layer of the Gemara that existed prior to the generation of R’ Ashi. Suggesting that R’ Ashi created an entirely original text ignores all this evidence. Following these arguments, Halevy goes on to explain R’ Ashi’s role, the conditions under which he operated, and the goal and cause of his work in an entirely different way. According to Halevy, R’ Ashi in fact spent many years studying under the authorities of the previous generation, and thus accumulated a vast and thorough knowledge of the Oral Tradition. Upon attaining a position of stature himself, he now had the credibility and trust of the leaders of the generation to take on the task of editing the Talmud. Let us recall that according to Halevy much of the material which comprises the Talmud was in place and organized already by Rava 52 See below for more on this. 53 According to their chronology, R’ Ashi must have commenced his project during the lifetimes of R’ Hunna, R’ Pappa, and R’ Kahana, the great Amoraim of Bavel. Starting a new academy would have been audacious enough, how much more so compiling a Talmud! 54 II, pp. 536-539 25
Page 1 and 2: Reshimu Studies in Jewish Thought a
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Reshimu Studies i
Page 5: Table of Contents Rambam’s Theory
Page 8 and 9: Introduction underlying cause of th
Page 10 and 11: Introduction A correction: In my ar
Page 12 and 13: The Redaction of the Babylonian Tal
Page 36 and 37: The Redaction of the Talmud stateme
Page 38 and 39: The Redaction of the Talmud Accordi
Page 40 and 41: The Redaction of the Talmud The Fre
Page 42 and 43: The Redaction of the Talmud this is
Page 44 and 45: The Redaction of the Talmud The sou
Page 46 and 47: The Redaction of the Talmud Come an
Page 48 and 49: The Redaction of the Talmud The opi
Page 50 and 51: The Redaction of the Talmud commenc
Page 52 and 53: The Redaction of the Talmud Rav Ach
Page 54 and 55: The Redaction of the Talmud take, t
Page 56 and 57: Aish Dat: A Brief History of the De
Page 73 and 74: Rabbi Meir Triebitz Rambam’s Theo
Page 75 and 76:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz The bulk of thi
Page 77 and 78:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz consequence of
Page 79 and 80:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz Saadiah could o
Page 81 and 82:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz (Guide 64b/124)
Page 83 and 84:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz basic premises
Page 85 and 86:
Rabbi Meir Triebitz describe God an
Page 87 and 88:
Rabbi David Sedley Rav Moshe Taku:
Page 89 and 90:
In the words of Encyclopedia Judaic
Page 91 and 92:
91 Rabbi David Sedley centuries),
Page 93 and 94:
Rabbi David Sedley which Rambam asc
Page 95 and 96:
Rabbi David Sedley a body is a here
Page 97 and 98:
Rabbi David Sedley creations have m
Page 99 and 100:
Rabbi David Sedley Talmud of our Ra
Page 101 and 102:
101 Rabbi David Sedley Torah metap
Page 103 and 104:
Rabbi David Sedley statements when
Page 105 and 106:
Rabbi David Sedley make no statemen
Page 107 and 108:
Rabbi David Sedley Rabbis. When I h
Page 109 and 110:
Rabbi David Sedley wisdom of knowle
Page 111 and 112:
111 Rabbi David Sedley mind which
Page 113 and 114:
Rabbi David Sedley In a questions a
Page 115:
Rabbi David Sedley begin again from
Page 118 and 119:
From Moshe to Moshe write, or a boo
Page 120 and 121:
From Moshe to Moshe As for the prop
Page 122 and 123:
From Moshe to Moshe It no doubt com
Page 124 and 125:
From Moshe to Moshe The scriptural
Page 126 and 127:
From Moshe to Moshe We shall accord
Page 128 and 129:
From Moshe to Moshe were given only
Page 130 and 131:
From Moshe to Moshe rational view o
show all

Reshimu_3_journal_no.. - Hashkafa Circle

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?