Research Guides to Jewish Studies: Talmud and Rabbinics


Important Call Numbers

  • B759 Philosophy (e.g., Moreh, Kuzari)
  • BM198 Hasidism
  • BM497 Mishnah
  • BM498 Yerushalmi
  • BM499 Bavli
  • BM504 Talmud commentary sets (e.g., Rashba, Ritva, Ramban, Meiri, Ran, Tosfot ha-Rosh, Shitah Mekubetset)
  • BM506 Talmud commentary by tractate
  • BM508 Tosefta
  • BM517 Midrash
  • BM520.84 Mishneh Torah
  • BM520.88 Shulhan Arukh
  • BM522 Responsa
  • BM525 Kabbalah
  • BM675 Liturgy
  • BM700 Custom, minhag
  • BM750 Biography

I. Major Texts

A. Babylonian Talmud

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS:

  • Soncino + REF BM499.5.E5 1960
  • Neusner REF BM499.5.E5 1984
  • Artscroll "Schottenstein" [in progress] + REF BM499.5.E5 1990

B. Jerusalem Talmud

  • Academy of the Hebrew Language ed. + REF BM 498 2001
  • Standard eds. + REF BM 498 (1969)

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS:

  • Neusner REF BM498.5.E5 1982
  • Artscroll "Schottenstein" [in progress] + REF BM498. E5 2005
  • Guggenheimer [in progress] BM498.5. E5 2000 [CIR]

C. Mishneh Torah by Moses Maimonides

BEST EDITIONS:

  • Mosad ha-Rav Kuk REF BM520.84. A2 1956
  • Y. Kapah REF BM520.84. A2 1984
  • S. Fraenkel [in progress; still lacks one vol.] REF BM520.84. A2 1975
  • N. Rabinovich [in progress] BM520.84. A2 1990 [CIR]
  • Y. Sheilat [in progress] + BM520.84 A2 2004

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS:

  • Yale University Press [in progress] REF BM520.84. A213Y2
  • Moznaim Press [in progress] REF BM520.84. A213T68 1986

D. Tur Shulhan Arukh by Jacob b. Asher

BEST EDITION:

  • Mekhon Yerushalayim REF BM520.86. A2 1990

E. Shulhan Arukh by Joseph b. Ephraim Karo

BEST EDITION:

  • Mekhon Yerushalayim [in progress] REF BM520.88. A2 1994

II. Introductions to the Literature

  • Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash / Strack-Stemberger REF BM503.5. S7 1996
  • Sarei ha-Elef / Kasher-Mandelbaum, helek rishon + hashlamot REF Z7070.K23 1978
  • Otsar rashe tevot be–lashon uve–sifrut mi–yeme kedem ve–'ad yamenu REF PJ4847.A8
  • Encyclopaedia Judaica Networked CD ROM
  • See Electronic Resources

III. Biography

  • Sefer Toldot Tana'im ve-Amora'im / Hyman REF BM750. H9 1964
  • Entsiklopedyah le–hakhme ha–Talmud veha–ge'onim / Margulies REF +BM750. E6 1995
  • Who's Who in the Talmud / Freiman REF BM750. F75 1995
  • Mavo la-Mishnah / Albeck, pp. 216-236 REF BM497.8 A48
  • The Rishonim / Goldwurm REF BM750.R5 2001
  • Mavo la-Ra'avyah / Aptowitzer, pp. 306-42 REF BM520.9.E411

IV. Concordances

  • Mishnah (4 vols.) REF BM500.5. K32 1956
  • Tosefta (6 vols.) REF BM508.15. K6
  • Mekhilta (4 vols.) REF BM517. M43 K62
  • Sifra (4 vols.) REF BM517. S63 K6
  • Sifre (5 vols.) REF BM517. S73 K67
  • Yerushalmi (8 vols.) REF BM500.5. K69 [names: .K91]
  • Bavli (42 vols.) REF BM500.5. K33 [names: .K67]
  • Bar Ilan / Judaica Classics Networked CD ROMs
  • DBS-Taklitor Torani CD ROM
  • http://www.mechon-mamre.org/index.htm
  • http://kodesh.mikranet.org.il/

V. Subject Indexes

  • Soncino Talmud (index vol). BM499.5.E5 1935 [REF; CIR]
  • Talmud Bavli / Ketuvim ed. REF +BM499 1998b
  • Talmud Yerushalmi / Ketuvim ed. (2006)
  • The legends of the Jews BM530.G5 (1909; 1998) [REF; CIR]
  • The book of legends (Sefer ha-aggadah) REF BM516. B5 1962
  • Otsar ha–Aggadah REF BM516. G7
  • Motif index of Talmudic/Midrashic literature REF BM516.N63
  • Aspaklaria REF BM50. A34

VI. Verse Indexes

  • Torah ha–ketuvah veha–mesurah <3 vols.> REF BS1099. H4 H9 1979
  • Torah Shelemah [in progress: up to Deuteronomy] REF BS1225. X2 K36 T6

VII. Rabbinic Aramaic Dictionaries

  • Koehler–Baumgartner REF PJ4833.K6213 1994
  • Jastrow REF PJ5205. J3 1950
  • Frank REF BM500.5. F7 1994
  • Sokoloff REF PJ5205.S6 1990; REF PJ5305.S63 2002
  • Lexicon Greek and Latin Loanwords / Krauss REF PJ4932.K8 1964
  • Greek and Latin Legal Terms / Sperber REF PJ4937.S64 1984
  • Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon

VIII. Rabbinic Thought

  • The sages, their concepts, and beliefs / Urbach REF BM177.U7 (BM177.U713)

IX. Talmud Commentaries

A. General

  • Otsar ha–be'urim veha–perushim REF Z6371.T2 K6
  • Sarei ha–elef REF Z7070.K23 1978
  • Sefer Mavo le–Shas Vilna REF + BM501.M386 1993

B. Rashi

  • Darko shel Rashi be–ferusho la–Talmud ha–Bavli REF BM504.2.S615 F7
  • Rashi la–Mikra be–ferusho la–Talmud BS1225x2.S6 F56 (3 vols.)

C. Tosafot

  • Ba'ale ha-tosafot toldotehem, hiburehem REF BM501.8. U7 1980

X. Text Criticism

  • Mishnah: Seder Zera'im REF BM497 1971
  • Talmud: Dikduke Sofrim (Rabbinovicz) REF BM503.9.R32
  • Talmud: Dikduke Sofrim ha–Shalem REF BM499 1972b

XI. Halakhah

  • Entsiklopedyah Talmudit le–'inyene halakhah REF BM500.5.E6 1982
  • Jewish law: history, sources, principles BM520.5.E4313 1994 [REF; CIR]
  • Sefer Sede hemed ha–shalem REF BM520.4 .M42 1962a
  • Sefer Pahad Yitshak ha–shalem REF BM500.5.I8 1936
  • Ha–Takanot be–Yisra'el REF BM520.5.Z9T25 S3 1991

XII. Responsa

A. How to Find a Title

  • Kuntres ha–teshuvot mafteah u-bibliyografyah...ha–shut REF Z6374.L4C6 1930a
  • Bar Ilan Responsa Project "see electronic resources"
  • Quntres ha-Teshuvot ha-Hadash / Glick [in progress] REF +Z6374.L4.G44 2006

B. Subject Indexes to Responsa

  • Otsar ha–she'elot u–teshuvot [on Orah Hayim] REF BM522. A1 S53 1996
  • Otsar ha–Poskim [on Even ha-Ezer] [includes summaries and encyclopedic articles] (currently 20 vols. through §77) REF 520.88. A57O8
  • Ha–Mafteah ha–Gadol [specifically post–Shulhan Arukh technology-related] REF BM522. A1L39 1996
  • Mafteah ha–she'elot veha–teshuvot shel hakhme Sefarad u–Tsefon Afrikah REF BM522.A1U58
  • Mafteah ha–she'elot veha–teshuvot shel hakhme Ashkenaz Tsarfat ve–Italyah REF BM522.A1U582 1997
  • Yad Mosheh: mafteah kelali le–shu"t Igrot Mosheh REF BM522.36.E37E352 1999
  • American Reform Responsa: 1889–1983 REF BM522.a1 J34 1983

Electronic Resources for Manuscripts of Classical Rabbinic Literature

English Translations of Midrash/Targum

View our database of resources.

English Translations (Partial) of Shulhan Arukh

I. Orah Hayim

1. Mishnah Berurah: The classic commentary to Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim comprising the laws of daily Jewish conduct / translated by Aharon Feldman and Aviel Orenstein. Jerusalem: Pisgah Foundation: Feldheim, 1980-2002. [complete in 20 vols.] REF BM 520.88.A53 K2313

2. http://torah.org/advanced/shulchan-aruch [paraphrases]

3. Abridged Shulhan Arukh; a compilation of the laws contained in the Orah Hayyim and Yore Deah / by Joseph Pardo / translated by Hyman E. Goldin. New York: Hebrew Pub. Co., 1928. BM520.9. P29 1928

4. Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim, Hilkhot Shabbat, with Mishnah Berurah: an annotated translation of selected chapters / by Laurence M Skopitz / Dissertation: thesis (Rabbinic) H.U.C–J.I.R., 1978.

5. Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim, Hilkhot Pesah, with Mishnah Berurah: an annotated translation of selected chapters dealing with the Passover Seder / by Michaels, Mathew David / Dissertation: Thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1980.

6. Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim, Hilkhot Yom ha-Kippurim,chapters 604-624; an annotated original translation / by Brahms, Jan M., ed. / Dissertation: thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1976.

II. Yoreh De`ah

1. http://torah.org/advanced/shulchan-aruch [paraphrases]

2. The kosher code of the orthodox Jew, being a literal translation of that portion of the sixteenth-century codification of the Babylonian Talmud which describes such deficiencies as render animals unfit for food (Hilkot Terefot, Shulhan 'aruk); to which is appended a discussion of Talmudic anatomy in the light of the science of its day and of the present time / by Solomon Isaac Levin; Edward A. Boyden. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1940. BM523.5.D5C3L4 1940

3. The Jewish kitchen: a code of Jewish law following the rulings of Rabbi Yosef Karo updated according to Rabbi Ovadia Yossef: derived from the Shulchan Aruch, Yore De'ah chapters 87-111–Hamitbach hayehudy / Rafael Abraham Soae, Cohen; Ovadia Yosef. Jerusalem; New York: Sephardic Library Bene Issachar, 1994.

4. Section on charity from the Shulhan arukh / Feinberg, Louis. New York: New York School of Philanthropy, 1915. BM523.5.C48 C3

5. Shulhan arukh. Hilkhot gerim— Commentaries. / by Hiroshi Okamoto / Dissertation: Thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1964.

6. Code of Hebrew law – Shul.han 'Arukh: containing original Hebrew text of R. Joseph Caro and glosses of R. Moses Isserles: Yoreh de'ah 335-403 / translated into English with commentary, glossary, and indices by Chaim N. Denburg. Montreal: Jurisprudence Press, 1954. REFBM520.88.A43D4

III. Even Ha-Ezer

1. Hupah vekiddushin: the marriage ceremony as discussed in the Shulhan Arukh, Arukh HaShulhan, and selected responsa/ by Roman, Norman T. / Dissertation: Thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R.,1975.

2. Shulhan 'arukh, 'Even ha'ezer, Hilkhot ishut andHilkhot kidushin / by Bell, Maynard W., ed. An annotated translation/Dissertation: thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1974.

3. An annotated translation of chapters 34 through 38 of Hilchot Kidushin Shulhan 'Arukh, volume Eben ha Ezer/ by Garten,Steven H., ed. and tr. Contains commentary by Rabbi Moses Isserles/Dissertation: thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1975.

4. An original translation with commentary of the Jewish divorce procedure: Shulchan aruch, Even haezer, chapters Seder hagetand 154 / by Hillman, Andrew R., ed. Contains commentary by Rabbi Moses Isserles / Dissertation: thesis (Rabbinic)–H.U.C.-J.I.R., 1974.

IV. Hoshen Mishpat

1. Code of Hebrew law—Shul.han 'Arukh: containing original Hebrew text of R. Joseph Caro and glosses of R. Moses Isserles: Hoshen hamishpat 1-27 / translated into English with commentary, glossary and indices by Chaim N. Denburg. Montreal: Jurisprudence Press, 1955. REFBM520.88.A43D4

2. The traditional Jewish law of sale: Shulhan arukh,Hoshen mishpat, chapters 189-240[Hilkhot ona'ah u-mikah ta'ut]/ by Passamaneck, Stephen M.Cincinnati. Hebrew Union College Press; New York, N.Y.: Distributed by KTAV Pub. House, 1983. REF BM520.88.A583P3 1983

3. A Restatement of rabbinic civil law / by Emanuel Quint. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1990-. [complete in 10 vols.; paraphrasesall HM] BM521.Q9531990

See also a work in progress: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Shulchan_Aruch