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The Redaction of the Talmud The French edition, which is usually accepted to be the most authoritative, asserts that beginning in the period after Ravina and Rav Ashi the sages devoted themselves to interpretations and reasoning. The phrase that is used “close to hora’ah” refers to the fact that the dialectical methodology of the Savoraic sages did not produce the same definitive halachic conclusions (halachot pesukot) of previous generations. Nonetheless it generated a dialogue which would serve as the basis upon which future generations would formulate halachic conclusions. This does not mean necessarily that the sages after Ravina and Rav Ashi are not quoted rendering terse halachic opinions. What Rav Sherira Gaon appears to be saying is that Rav Ashi concluded the period which produced a tradition of definitively worded legal decisions and interpretations while the Savoraic sages produced a tradition of reasoning which seems to imply that their decisions were expressed more as discussion and dialogue. The distinction made by Rav Sherira Gaon between “hora’ah” and “close to hora’ah” parallels the twofold redaction program which Rashi attributes to Rav Ashi. It is important to note, however, that while Rashi attributes both steps i.e. editorship of Amoraic legal decisions and interpretations and the establishment of the canon of give and take to Rav Ashi himself, Rav Sherira Gaon’s epistle can be interpreted as saying that Rav Ashi and Ravina themselves were only engaged in the first step, i.e. the editing of tersely worded Amoraim legal decisions and interpretations of the mishna. However, the construction of the canonical give-and-take seems to have commenced with the generations afterwards whom he calls the Savoraim. This same position, namely that the canonical give-and-take of the Gemara only begins with Rav Ashi is also explicitly stated by the Baalei Tosafot in Chullin 2a-b. By examining both the passage in the Gemara and their commentary in detail we will shed light upon the 40
41 Rabbi Meir Triebitz redactive methodology which, in their opinion, was utilized by Rav Ashi. In the relevant passage a question is posed by the anonymous Gemara (usually referred to as the stam, or sugya, of the Gemara) which is countered afterwards by a question posed by Rav Acha, the son of Rava, to Rav Ashi. Rav Ashi’s response is “this is what I was asking”. On the basis of this question, Tosafot adduce that the anonymous question posed by the Gemara must have been none other than Rav Ashi. Tosafot then conclude that Rav Ashi was the anonymous redactor of the Gemara. They write: “It appears from here that Rav Ashi himself asked the question. Even though it is part of the anonymous give-and-take (sugyat ha-Gemara) one may conclude from this that it was Rav Ashi who redacted the Gemara.” By redaction Tosafot is referring to the give-and-take of the Gemara which constitutes the Talmudic dialectic. Tosafot refer to this by the term sugyat ha-Gemara. However, on the basis of this one may still contend that Rav Ashi, according to Tosafot, merely added to a redaction which commenced several generations before him. This could well be argued from the fact that the subsequent give-and-take in that sugya quotes earlier Amoraic sages such as Abaye and Rava who lived in previous generations. Tosafot are aware of this difficulty and provides an answer: “Even though Abaye and Rava also attempted to answer the question, and they lived long before Rav Ashi, perhaps the question had already been posed before in their lifetimes.” The crucial point to take notice of in this statement of Tosafot is what they didn’t answer. That is they didn’t answer that Rava and Abaye had also made a preliminary redaction of the Gemara and that Rava Ashi was merely contributing another stratum to this redaction. Rather, they respond by saying that “Perhaps a similar question had already been posed before in their lifetimes”. What Tosafot mean by
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 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
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101 Rabbi David Sedley Torah metap
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