The Essential Talmud: An Introduction

By: Adin Steinsaltz

Narrated by: Shlomo Zacks

The Essential Talmud is a masterful introduction by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz to the great repository of Jewish wisdom, the Talmud. A book of profound scholarship and concise pedagogy, The Essential Talmud succinctly describes the Talmud's history, structure, and methodology. It summarizes the Talmud's main principles, demonstrates its contemporary relevance, and captures the spirit of this unique and paradoxical sacred text as a human expression of divine law.

©2010 Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (P)2018 Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz

very informative. reads more like a textbook.

it reads more like a textbook so its a bit dry. But it is packed with amazing material and insights into the talmud.

Disappointing

Very heavy on Talmud background, who’s who, mini-bio’s, etc. Light on Talmud teachings. Not overly interesting.

I didn't know what to expect

This book is a scholarly historical explanation of what the Talmud is and how it shaped the Jews through the years.

Shlomo did a great job reading. this was informative but a bit dry at times.

Exceptional book introducing Talmud

This is exactly the book I needed to hear. I am a secular jew who heard about Talmud but never really has any idea what it is. Only rumors and stories far from truth. Thanks to this excellent book by Rabbi Steinsaltz and great narration by Shlomo Zacks I now understand much more regarding Talmud and my nation history. Highly recommended to everyone.

history and overview

if you are interested in the history of Talmud then you'll enjoy this book. it does not go to the details of the content of Talmud but rather how it was gathered and evolved over the ages

Incomparable work by a true Scholar

Adin Steinsaltz is a treasure. This volume is a concise history of the Talmud, it’s authors and methodologies. Only the great Steinsaltz can do this important subject justice, as he is the one who translated the entire monumental Talmud into English. With erudition and scholarly insight, he methodically takes you through the basics of the Talmud, a compelational heritage of the Jewish people that is inaccessible to most.
As always, Shlomo Zacks does a superb job narrating the material that he is clearly familiar with.
This book is for those who want to understand Jewish history and culture from the time of the second temple to current times. It should be mandatory reading for any student of the Talmud. I would have gained greatly had I read this book prior to my many years of Talmud study.

Excellent Overview of the Talmud

An excellent overview of the Talmud. Including its purpose, history, structure, and a concise summary of the main topics covered in the Talmud.

It is not a substitute for the full Talmud, but presents a framework for those interested in the study of the larger work.

Very informative

probably better suited to someone with a stronger background in Judaism. Was still very interesting and informative.

A good introduction

A good introduction to the Talmud, including its history, how it is formatted, and some examples of what is discussed within the Talmud. A great book!

Not what I thought

As another user said, this intro went too much into the who’s who, process and methodology and, unfortunately not enough into the Talmud itself. Definitely not for someone who is trying to get a better understanding of what the Talnud is about and some of the important teachings that influence Jewish thought.