Talmud is Hebrew for "learning," appropriate for a text people devote their lives to studying and mastering. The Talmud is a collection of writings covering the full gamut of Jewish law and tradition, compiled and edited between the 3rd and 6th centuries. Written in Hebrew and Aramaic, it records the teachings and discussions of the great academies of the Holy Land and Babylonia. With 2,711 densely packed pages and countless commentaries, learning the Talmud is a lifetime occupation.

Written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the Talmud records the teachings and discussions of the great academies of the Holy Land and Babylonia. With 2,711 densely packed pages and countless commentaries, learning the Talmud is a lifetime occupation. The version here is the notable English translation is by Michael L. Rodkinson. His ten-volume translation (1918) covers various tractates of the Talmud.