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A fascinating—and stimulating—look at "the other Talmud" and the possibilities for Jewish life reflected there.
"The difference between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi is something like the difference between making a movie for a regular theater versus making one for a 3-D theater and/or an IMAX theater. It's still the story of Judaism and the Jewish people. But the colors are richer, the action is bigger, the effects are more powerful in the 3-D/IMAX world of the Yerushalmi. Your actors … live on the soundstage, that is, in Israel, and that informs their performance…. You could imagine the Yerushalmi is a pop-up book: you open it and Jewish living materializes."
—from the Introduction
This engaging look at the Judaism that might have been breaks open the Yerushalmi—“The Talmud of the Land of Israel”—and what it means for Jewish life today. It examines what the Yerushalmi is, how it differs from the Bavli—the Babylonian Talmud—and how and why the Bavli is used today. It reveals how the Yerushalmi's vision of Jewish practice resembles today’s liberal Judaism, and why the is growing in popularity.
This broad but accessible overview of all the essential aspects of “The Talmud of the Land of Israel” will help you deepen your understanding of Judaism and the history of the Jewish people.
"Takes us on a wonderful odyssey … chock full of tantalizing textual nuggets which demonstrate Abrams' erudition and breadth of knowledge. She … makes the essential aspects accessible to each and every [reader]."
—Dr. Norman J. Cohen, professor of midrash, Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion; author, Masking and Unmasking Ourselves: Interpreting Biblical Texts on
Clothing and Identity and The Way Into Torah
“Comprehensive and clear…. Provides an understanding of a generally neglected but absolutely crucial and foundational text of the Jewish people. [The book] deserves to be read and placed on the shelf of every Jewish and religious studies library.”
—Rabbi David Ellenson, president, Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion
“A joyful romp through the foreign fields of the Talmud Yerushalmi. Master teacher Rabbi Judith Abrams leads readers dancing through the Talmud texts. Brava on a wonderful introduction to a difficult text.”
—Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky, Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies, The Jewish Theological Seminary; author, Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud
“Does a great service by introducing the Jerusalem Talmud to the English-speaking public. Allows the reader to get a taste of the Jerusalem Talmud by contrasting it primarily to the Babylonian Talmud without our having to completely agree with all her views. Well done!”
—Rabbi Joseph Radinsky, rabbi emeritus, United Orthodox Synagogues
“Presents Yerushalmi texts that reflect many of the interests of this 'other Talmud’ in a clear and extremely engaging manner.”
—Rabbi Michael Chernick, PhD, Deutsch Professor of Jewish Jurisprudence and Social Justice, Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion; author, A Great Voice That Did Not Cease
Acknowledgments
Timeline
Introduction
Part 1 Daily Life
1. What Would Your Livelihood and Levies Be?
2. Who Would Your Celebrities Be?
3. The Obnoxious Rich Kid: How Would You Feel about Those Jews in Babylonia?
4. Right and Wrong, Crime and Punishment
5. How Can Judaism Compete with Christianity?
6. Tefillin and Tallit: Essential "Props" and “Costumes”
7. Who, Beside Rabbis, Was Running the Jewish Community?
8. How Would You Be Reading Torah?
9. Con Men and Characters in Disguise
10. Who Would Your Enemy Be?
Part 2 Building Blocks of Prayer
11. The Toolbox of Prayers
12. Ad-Libbing
13. What Would Your Mysticism Be?
14. Trailers: Meditation Techniques of the Sages
Part 3 The Holidays
15. What Would the High Holy Days Be Like?
16. What Would Sukkot Be Like?
17. Passover
18. What Would Shavuot Be Like?
19. Purim and Hanukkah
20. Fast Days
Part 4 Life Cycle
21. Childbirth (Women Are in Charge) and Parenthood
22. School, Coming of Age, and Learning Differences
23. What Would Your Wedding and Married Life Be Like?
24. What Would Old Age Be Like?
Conclusion: What We Can Recapture
Abbreviations
When, Who, and Where
Orders and Tractates of the Mishnah
Glossary
The Sages