A team of 90 Jordanian translators labored for six long years to translate the Talmud into Arabic. Of course, they missed a few spots.
The Talmud translation has not maintained the classic look of the Gemara page, and commentary, such as Rashi, is missing. However, it features a glossary and discussion of terms that pose a translation quandary. The translators say they hope that the work will enable new research into Judaism, as well as allowing comparison between Jewish, Muslim, and Christian law.
Look for the Talmud to be misquoted more frequently by Arab anti-Semites now that they have what they will claim is the source material.
In the meantime, you have to get a kick out of this bit. It took a team of ninety people to do the work of–one rabbi.
A group of some 90 Jordanian researchers has spent six long years translating the entire Talmud into Arabic – an echo of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, who labored 45 years translating the Babylonian Talmud from Aramaic into Hebrew.
And that rabbi is an absolute mensch.
In a radio interview Monday, Steinsaltz said his motto is “Let my people know.”
“I did it because it is necessary,” he told the IDF Radio. “The Talmud is the spine of our culture… I wanted to restore to the Jewish people their heritage.”
In addition to the full Hebrew translation, Steinsaltz has rendered parts of the Talmud into English, Spanish, French, and Russian.
Well, now I know where to go if I want to start reading the Talmud. But I suspect I should probably take a class. It isn’t a novel, after all.
I believe there’s an almost complete English version available from Soncino. Of course it’s too expensive for ordinary people to own – 37 volumes or something like that.
Actually, if you want to start reading, your best bet is the Artscroll translation. Buying the whole set is prohibitive, but it takes a long time to go through it seriously. Doing the whole thing in seven-and-a-half-years (as a number of people do) means just skimming it quickly.