THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD, ALL 20 VOLUMES (ILLUSTRATED)

• 14 color illustrations, 2 black and white
• publisher's preface and an introduction by Gustav Karpeles

This edition is intended for modern readers. It consists of twenty volumes, translated and edited by Michael Rodkinson and then revised and corrected by Dr. Isaac M. Wise, founder of the Reform Jewish movement and President of the Hebrew Union College. The introduction, by Gustav Karpeles, is from the book "Jewish Literature and Other Essays".

The Babylonian Talmud (Oral Law) is the third edition of the Talmud. Regarded as the authoritative version, it is studied by Rabbis and other scholars. The Talmud, or (Oral Law) evolved over time.

The first part of the Talmud (Oral Law) was recorded in the year 200 C.E. (A.D.). The Mishna, as it is called, explained the 613 commandments found in the Torah (Written Law, the first five books of the Bible, attributed to Moses). Later, rabbis added commentaries, known as Gemara.

The Talmud is a guide for living in accord with the Torah (Written Law). While the Torah codifies behaviors through the 613 commandments, the Talmud provides further discussion and the legal “how” to carry out the commandments. It expands guidelines and provides clarification by establishing rituals, explains how to observe laws in the Torah, and interprets those laws so that they can be carried out in a humane way.

For ease of navigation through this massive work, we have added thousands of links. Each volume begins with a summary (explanatory remarks) followed by the linked table of contents for that volume. Then comes an introduction and a synopsis of that subject. The synopsis has links to Mishnas. Click on the Mishna and view that text followed by related Gemaras. Links from the Mishnas go back to the synopsis for that volume. Note that when the Mishna is not mentioned in the synopsis, there is no link back.