Essential Talmud by Adin Steinsaltz (2006, Paperback)

Thirty years after its initial release, The Essential Talmud continues to serve as the go-to book for those just beginning their journey into the world of the Talmud, as well as those already versed in the sacred Jewish text. The new Thirtieth Anniversary Edition (Basic Books, 2006) of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s classic work demonstrates the contemporary relevance of the proud legacy by which the Jewish people have lived, survived, and thrived throughout the ages.

The Essential Talmud is a masterful introduction to the beliefs, attitudes, and methods that have occupied students of the Talmud for centuries. It is a rare volume that captures the flavor and spirit of the Talmud as a human document and summarizes its main principles as an expression of divine law.



The expanded Thirtieth Anniversary Edition of The Essential Talmud features an updated preface by Rabbi Steinsaltz, as well as new chapters containing an historical overview of life in the times of the Talmud and an in-depth look at the content and appearance of the original Talmudic page.

A book of profound scholarship and yet also of concise, simple, and brilliant pedagogy, The Essential Talmud offers readers a refreshing perspective on one of history’s most unique and paradoxical holy works.

The Reporter calls The Essential Talmud "a first-class study guide for anyone who wants to know why this text has fascinated generations of Jewish scholars." Click here to read the full review.