Kudos for Soncino
The Soncino Press Babylonian Talmud was translated into English by world-renowned Talmud and Hebrew/Aramaic scholars under the editorship of Rabbi Dr. Isidore Epstein of Jews' College, London. It was the first complete English translation ever published, and it has been the standard, commonly accepted rabbi-approved English translation for more than six decades.
Each of the six multi-volume Seders was published individually as it became available in the years between 1935 and 1948. The 63 tractates were translated by the leading rabbinical scholars of the day, and the final work was praised by many prominent rabbinical authorities, including two successive Chief Rabbis of the British Commonwealth. Each tractate included an introduction by the translator, a running commentary of extensive footnotes, a scriptural index, a glossary, and an index of words and subjects. In 1952, the individual indices were compiled and published as a separate volume. (29) The full set containing almost six million words was republished on fine paper in 1961 in 18 volumes. In about 1985, Soncino cut and pasted the original galleys into a larger format and republished the volumes with Hebrew and English on facing pages.
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The late Dr. Joseph Herman Hertz, The Very Reverend the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire at the time the Soncino Talmud was first published, wrote Forewords for four of the six seders. He praises the Soncino Talmud with these words:
A reliable English translation of the whole Babylonian Talmud has long been looked forward to by scholars. This expectation is beginning be realised by the publication of the Soncino edition of the Order Nezikin. …
This notable achievement is due to the quite extraordinary erudition of the Editor, Rabbi Dr I. Epstein, assisted by his stiff of scholarly translators. The Editor's Prefatory Note gives some indication of his colossal task. Aside from planning the scope and character of the work, the Editor Fixed the Text, controlled the translation and interpretation, as well as the introductions and glossaries to the various parts, and supplied the greater portion of the 'cultural' notes.
The Publishers too have done their share in the undertaking conscientiously and efficiently. With the result, that never before has there appeared a translation of the Order Nezikin as helpful to the student as these volumes of the Soncino edition of the Babylonian Talmud in English.
— Rabbi Dr. Hertz (1)
The eight volumes of Seder Nashim have been planned on the same lines as those of Seder Nezikin, alike in regard to Text, rendering and cultural Notes. The Editor and his collaborators have again performed with consummate skill a task of stupendous difficulty, and the standard of scholarship and accuracy set in the previous volumes has been fully maintained. The Publishers also have left nothing undone to render the Soncino Seder Nashim in every way a worthy continuation of their Seder Nezikin.
— Rabbi Dr. Hertz (2)
These accolades are printed on the dust jacket of the 1961 Edition of the Soncino Talmud:
… this translation of the Talmud will open up for the English speaking readers the most varied and indispensable index to the collective wisdom of the post-Biblical Hebrew mind, and afford direct knowledge of the ordinances which have governed and continue to govern the religious institutions and social polity of the Jewish people.
— The late Rabbi Dr. A. Feldman, Dayan of the Beth Din, London (3)
I offer my heartiest congratulations to all who have worked together in producing this translation of the Talmud into English. They have dealt with the enormous difficulties of their tasks with remarkable skill.
— The Rev. Dr. R. Travers Herford,
author of Christianity in Talmud and Midrash and Talmud and Apocrypha (3)
The Editor, Dr. Isidore Epstein, and his band of scholars have produced a translation which is a marvel of skill in dealing with the formidable difficulties which the Talmud presents.
— The Jewish Chronicle (3)
The Soncino Talmud is … an adornment for any library, a hallmark of intelligent Jewishness in a family … an unfailing source of inspiring information to the students of every creed and race.
— Jewish Forum (3)
It [the Soncino Talmud] will have value for Gentile as well as Jewish scholars.
— The Manchester Guardian (3)
These volumes are magnificently produced, and will assuredly take their place among the monuments of modern scholarship.
— The Yorkshire Post (3)
The rendering is accurate and scholarly … In particular the translators deserve praise for their choice of suitable equivalents for technical terms and phrases that are difficult to turn into another language.
— The Times Literary Supplement (3)
Thank you for your consideration of the above,
Carol A. Valentine, Ear@Come-and-Hear.com
July 14, 2003 ( This article is on line at http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor/kudos.html )
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Endnotes:
- This and other Come and Hear™ Studies on Talmudic Judaism can be found online:
- http://www.come-and-hear.com/editor
- The Jewish Religion; Its Influence Today by Elizabeth Dilling, complete with all 300 exhibits, can be found online:
- http://www.come-and-hear.com/dilling
- Soncino Babylonian Talmud tractates, with Forewords, Introductions, Glossary, List of Abbreviations, and footnotes. Now you can study the Babylonian Talmud in full context and with the running commentary of the finest scholars of Judaism:
- Tractate Berakoth: http://www.come-and-hear.com/berakoth
- Tractate Shabbath: http://www.come-and-hear.com/shabbath
- Tractate Yebamoth: http://www.come-and-hear.com/yebamoth
- Tractate Kethuboth: http://www.come-and-hear.com/kethuboth
- Tractate Nedarim: http://www.come-and-hear.com/nedarim
- Tractate Nazir: http://www.come-and-hear.com/nazir
- Tractate Sotah: http://www.come-and-hear.com/sotah
- Tractate Gittin: http://www.come-and-hear.com/gittin
- Tractate Baba Kamma: http://www.come-and-hear.com/babakamma
- Tractate Baba Mezi'a: http://www.come-and-hear.com/babamezia
- Tractate Baba Bathra: http://www.come-and-hear.com/bababathra
- Tractate Sanhedrin: http://www.come-and-hear.com/sanhedrin
- Tractate Abodah Zarah: http://www.come-and-hear.com/zarah
- Tractate Horayoth: http://www.come-and-hear.com/horayoth
- Tractate Tohoroth: http://www.come-and-hear.com/tohoroth
- Search the Talmud http://www.come-and-hear.com/tindex.html
- Download all the above resources for local study, CD, or mirror web site:
- http://www.come-and-hear.com/download.html