Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mhuxi.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!mhuxi!dsg From: dsg@mhuxi.UUCP (GREEN) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: The World of the Talmud Message-ID: <1191@mhuxi.UUCP> Date: Wed, 7-Mar-84 09:24:47 EST Article-I.D.: mhuxi.1191 Posted: Wed Mar 7 09:24:47 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 8-Mar-84 07:36:19 EST References: <937@ihuxr.UUCP> <737@ihuxq.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 30 x John Hobson states: ..."And to make sure that we (Jews?) obey the law (John, do you mean oral or written?) we follow the Talmud, which is a well defined statement of what must be done to make sure that we fullfill the law." In *my* experience, I have not found the Talmud to be a well defined statement; neither have my friends, including those who are graduates of Y.U. and other respected American Orthodox institutions. For example, Berachos 1a Mishna: From which moment on may one recite.... Gemara: (long discussion) Commentary: (quite a bit) Anyway, what I am trying to say is that the Talmud is meant to be learned, by discussion, not unlike the case method in law school. Halacha is drawn from the Talmud, but the Talmud is not a set of clearly defined rules. As of today, there are questions that await the coming of the messiah. I just want to clarify for the casual net reader, that our religion is not one of blind ambedience to a set of well defined rules, but that the rules are subject to interpretation and debate. To quote another posted article "two Jews have three opinions", yes , that includes Talmud. David Seth Green Bell Labs 201-564-2290 path ..floyd!mhuxi!dsg