Baba Batra 2 - The Steinsaltz Talmud T28 (color), Biblieurope editions

The Steinsaltz Talmud T28

Baba Batra II (2)

Translated paragraph by paragraph
Commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz

Drahi Edition - Color

Biblieurope Editions

The new edition of the Steinsaltz Talmud in French aims, like the previous one, to give everyone, regardless of their level, access to the Talmudic text – originally written without punctuation or vowels, in a concise style, in a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic, a language little known to most readers.

In the second half of the ^20th century, Rabbi Steinsaltz, of blessed memory, pioneered the work of publishing a punctuated and vocalized edition in Hebrew, and later in other languages. This edition presents the correspondence of each word of the Talmud in bold, with explanations added in regular type, essential for understanding each sentence and following the Gemara step by step.

In this edition, the text of the Talmud is divided into paragraphs, translated as they appear. It includes numerous studies and halakha taken from the Steinsaltz edition in Hebrew, summarizing the main commentaries and the conclusions of the decisors on each topic addressed. It is enriched new illustrations.

At the end of each book, it includes the original text of the treatise according to the classical Vilna edition, with the commentary of Rashi – which, here, is punctuated and vocalized – and that of the Tosafot, also punctuated.

We hope that this publication will achieve the goal that Rav Steinsaltz zal sought throughout his life: to enable every Jew to know and appreciate his ancestral heritage in order to strengthen the love of the Torah among the people.

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Baba Batra II (2)

The tractate Baba Batra was originally part of a larger tractate called Nezikin , a term meaning "damages," which encompassed the three tractates that now form the beginning of the Nezikin order. Baba Batra (literally, "the last gate") corresponds to the third and final part of this larger tractate. The first two parts of the original Nezikin tractate became, respectively, the tractate Baba Kama [the first gate] and the tractate Baba Metsi'a [the middle gate]. Each of these three tractates is primarily devoted to a specific subject.

Baba Batra differs from Baba Kama and Baba Metsi'a in two main respects. The first two treatises deal with halakhot that have—at least in part—a penal aspect, while Baba Batra primarily concerns civil law (contracts, real estate, inheritance, etc.). Furthermore, many of the issues addressed in Baba Kama and Baba Metsi'a are based on biblical verses as interpreted by rabbinic tradition, whereas the halakhot discussed in Baba Batra are mainly rabbinic ordinances based on the Sages' understanding of human nature, social conventions, and the need to regulate business relationships within society.

The laws established by the Sages are obviously based on the fundamental principles that govern financial matters such as the prohibition of taking possession of what belongs to others: "You shall not steal" (Lev. 19:11), "You shall not extort money from your neighbor, nor rob them" (Lev. 19:13), the prohibition of deceiving one's neighbor or causing them any suffering: "You shall not deny or defraud your neighbor" (Lev. 19:11), "Do not wrong one another" (Lev. 25:17) or, again, the guidelines of laws of rabbinic origin: "And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord" (Deut. 6:18), "and you shall purge the evil from among you" (Deut. 13:6). These principles alone are insufficient to organize the economic and social life of society. The Sages therefore established a system of rules, from which practical solutions could be developed to address everyday problems.

Biblieurope Editions