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Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

talmudology.com

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Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#31

Post by mhh__ »

skrbjc wrote: post #9
TchoBeer wrote: post #2

Whenever I see something about the Talmud in gentile-dominated spaces I tense up a bit. I'm not orthodox anymore, but I was orthodox for the first 20-odd years of my life so I'm in the unique position of being around a lot of gentiles but knowing a lot about Judaism and Jewish law. This article is pretty ok, but its format is probably confusing for a gentile audience. For reference: a large number of Jews do "daf yom…

Many Christians do something similar where they read a bible verse a day, so it's not as weird concept for many.

Readers of Knuth or Weinberg will know the same regardless of faith.

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#32

Post by foolinaround »

the idea behind that crazy scenario of a man penetrating a woman when falling from the roof:

He has to pay for the physical injury but not for the shame of raping her.

The entire action was unintentional.

But physical injury is still needed to be accounted for even if unintential, we do it even in our modern laws with 'involuntary manslaughter' etc

However, the hurt to a person's feelings - it apparently needs intent; I guess one cannot take offense when none was meant.

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#33

Post by [deleted] »

TchoBeer wrote: post #2

Whenever I see something about the Talmud in gentile-dominated spaces I tense up a bit. I'm not orthodox anymore, but I was orthodox for the first 20-odd years of my life so I'm in the unique position of being around a lot of gentiles but knowing a lot about Judaism and Jewish law. This article is pretty ok, but its format is probably confusing for a gentile audience. For reference: a large number of Jews do "daf yom…

[deleted]

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#34

Post by jollofricepeas »

Wow, this is really insightful.

For someone like me who has read the Torah, Bible and Koran but not the Talmud I have a new perspective.

Without this new understanding, I believe I too would have dismissed the Talmud as silly but the context of law practice is helpful.

Interestingly, it may be that these thought exercises sparked by Rabbinical practices were what encouraged the formed other religions such as Christianity, Islam and the various other offshoots within these branches.

An idea begets an idea which begets an idea…

It’s turtles all the way down.

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#35

Post by layer8 »

jonny_eh wrote: post #8

While these particular cases are bizarre (isn't every case bizarre?), they can help inform new scenarios not envisioned yet, e.g. > If one threw a knife to embed it in the wall and in the course of its flight the knife went and slaughtered an animal in its proper manner If a mistaken slaughter can be kosher, then so can a machine conducted slaughter, since we can assume that human intention is not required.

To be pedantic, a human intention is explicitly mentioned (“to embed it in the wall”), even if for a different purpose, hence human intention being present in the situation may still be required. ;)

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#36

Post by uptownfunk »

Ice_cream_suit wrote: post #26

For those who want to study the Talmud, but like me have no access to formal Jewish education, the Steinsaltz edition is good. Bava Metzia in the Steinsaltz edition is a good starting point. It can be read online, free at: https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Metzia Sefaria is really, really good. Chabad have some great resources too. or bought at ( Hebrew version ) https://korenpub.com/products/the-steinsaltz-talmud-bavli-b…

Wow what a great site, thanks for sharing!

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#37

Post by wheels »

TchoBeer wrote: post #2

Whenever I see something about the Talmud in gentile-dominated spaces I tense up a bit. I'm not orthodox anymore, but I was orthodox for the first 20-odd years of my life so I'm in the unique position of being around a lot of gentiles but knowing a lot about Judaism and Jewish law. This article is pretty ok, but its format is probably confusing for a gentile audience. For reference: a large number of Jews do "daf yom…

I wonder if I'm the only one reading that finds the term "gentile" as moderately offensive. It seems to map the world into Jewish ontology of "God's chosen people", and other. "Non-Jew" feels less abrasive since it only assumes the (obvious) existence of Judaism.

I find Judaism super interesting historically (and have some Jewish ancestory and have spent a couple months in Israel), but still the term "gentile" in a modern, non-religious context feels abrasive.

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#38

Post by daniel-cussen »

TchoBeer wrote: post #2

Whenever I see something about the Talmud in gentile-dominated spaces I tense up a bit. I'm not orthodox anymore, but I was orthodox for the first 20-odd years of my life so I'm in the unique position of being around a lot of gentiles but knowing a lot about Judaism and Jewish law. This article is pretty ok, but its format is probably confusing for a gentile audience. For reference: a large number of Jews do "daf yom…

daf yomi! That's a great idea! I still think I will require a lifetime to read the Bible, both Testaments, I'm Christian...and it hurts so much to read the Book. I get so many psychiatric symptoms, especially when the Bible talks about conspiracies I can't deal with that I feel like conspiracies are real, I can read only very little very slowly. And it's the only literature that does that to me...apart from reading Frankenstein in the fourth grade. And 1984.

I love it though! You know what GOD said I should do, I can't actually read all of it, instead I can read Matthew (KJV) over and over! I've read Molokai five times, that's a start. That's the last book of Talmud, right? What do you make of it? It's dark.

I actually know a gentile who learned Hebrew out of religious devotion, I can ask his opinion too, but not without asking yours as well. You can write me, I have an email in profile. Or post, either one.

Mods, please forgive talking about religion in this forum.

Re: Bizarre Talmudic Scenarios

#40

Post by mjfl »

boole1854 wrote: post #30
akyu wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does it make you tense up?

Gentile here, but even I tense up when I see discussions about the Talmud show up in "Gentile spaces". Some reasons: 1) Conspiracies. There's a millennia-long history of conspiracy theories involving the Talmud, and talk about the Talmud often see conspiracy theorists surface which sidetracks any rational discussion. 2) Religion. To this day, there is a significant group of religion Jews who take the Talmud extremely…

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