Thread: ADL Claims Introduction of Arab Translation of Talmud is Misleading

And make no mistake, this was no half-hearted effort. This is a full 20 volume translation that took six years to finish and costs $750 (and is selling well). 90 researchers were involved.

Interestingly:

The translators also noted, she says, that they had tried to buy a copy of the Talmud to translate, but rabbis had refused to sell them one.

In the future, Ukeles says, she hopes to found a research group that will examine how the Talmud's "problematic" texts were translated.

Introducing: Talmud in Arabic - Israel Jewish Scene, Ynetnews

If the ADL wants us to believe that the translation is inaccurate, let them release the full text of the Talmud, in the original language and translations, free to the internet, just as ALL other Religions do for their Holy Books!

Iconoclast

Originally Posted by Iconoclast

If the ADL wants us to believe that the translation is inaccurate, let them release the full text of the Talmud, in the original language and translations, free to the internet, just as ALL other Religions do for their Holy Books!

Iconoclast

well said

Originally Posted by Iconoclast

If the ADL wants us to believe that the translation is inaccurate, let them release the full text of the Talmud, in the original language and translations, free to the internet, just as ALL other Religions do for their Holy Books!

Iconoclast

Actually, I changed the name of the thread. Apparently only the introduction is inaccurate. But again, they don't show verses that show how it is inaccurate or argue the authenticity of the many verses that show it is accurrate.

The Talmud has recently been made available online in its entirety in English.

Halakhah.com Babylonian Talmud Online in English

But from the Ynet article I sourced:

This is the first time in history that the entire Talmud has been translated into Arabic," she notes.

Isn't that a little peculiar? I mean as long as Jews and Arabs have lived in each others' lands? It's also interesting how few Talmuds are in American libraries. This is the most important book in many Jewish eyes and it so scarce and even unknown. Many people have never even heard of it (the Internet has changed that to a point).

Thank you very much Alexander for this link: Halakhah.com Babylonian Talmud Online in English

As soon as I saw the link, I went to it and saw that the page is full of the Talmud books as PDF files. Using the FireFox extension "Down Them All" I captured all the PDF's on the page to my Hard Disk, a total of about 103 MB. With Disk storage (including CDR, DVD-R, Flash drive, etc) costing between 10 cents to a dollar a GigaByte there is no reason why every White Nationalist should not do the same, not just for these books but for ALL interesting books, MP3's, PDF's, Videos, etc of interest. If for any reason some or all of it, may in the future, become unavailable, you will have a copy that you can redistribute at will!

Iconoclast

The best place to read the Talmud is at Come and Hear ...

This is Carol Valentine's website - most thoughtful review. I don't recommend it for everyone, it will make you physically sick.

Originally Posted by BlackByte

The best place to read the Talmud is at Come and Hear ...

This is Carol Valentine's website - most thoughtful review. I don't recommend it for everyone, it will make you physically sick.

Come and hear is great as it has the more controversial especially anti-gentile verses highlighted in red. But Halakhah has every book and is complete.

Originally Posted by Iconoclast

If the ADL wants us to believe that the translation is inaccurate, let them release the full text of the Talmud, in the original language and translations, free to the internet, just as ALL other Religions do for their Holy Books!

Iconoclast

Boy, that would really be something, wouldn't it?

There's a reason why they wont't release the full text of the Talmud. The passage below is fine example of some of what they are trying to hide:

"Rabbi Johanan said the ***** of Rabbi Ishmael was as large as a six-kab wineskin; according to others, three kabs. The ***** of Rabbi Papa was as large as one of baskets of of the inhabitants of Harpania." - Baba Mecia, 84

Originally Posted by Patriot Rising

Boy, that would really be something, wouldn't it?

There's a reason why they wont't release the full text of the Talmud. The passage below is fine example of some of what they are trying to hide:

"Rabbi Johanan said the ***** of Rabbi Ishmael was as large as a six-kab wineskin; according to others, three kabs. The ***** of Rabbi Papa was as large as one of baskets of of the inhabitants of Harpania." - Baba Mecia, 84

As noted above the entire Talmud is available in English. And Patriot Rising that is a hoax quote.

The translation, published by the Middle East Studies Center (MESC), a Jordan-based think tank, features an introduction that repeatedly distorts and takes out of context certain passages in the Talmud, including the selective use of quotations leaving the misleading impression of a pervasive attitude of antipathy toward non-Jews mandated by Jewish religious law and teachings. Included among the baseless conclusions in the introduction are charges that the Talmud promotes trickery, cheating and the murder of non-Jews.

Introduction Of Arabic Translation Of Talmud Promotes Anti-Semitic Theories

Which ones, Mr. Foxman?

Even more alarming:

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) ... called on the Jordanian government to step in and take action.

Uh... when did it become a government's job to censor a book? I hope this creates more interest in the Talmud!

This is a Talmud misinterpretation you won't hear the ADL trying to censor. The official tagline of "Schindler's List":

Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.

Schindler's List (1993) - Taglines

The actual Talmudic quote:

WHOSOEVER PRESERVES A SINGLE SOUL OF ISRAEL, SCRIPTURE ASCRIBES [MERIT] TO HIM AS THOUGH HE HAD PRESERVED A COMPLETE WORLD.

Sanhedrin 37a

Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 37

It specifically refers to saving a Jewish life only!

Yet in spite of the racist tone of the introduction Ukeles is not rushing to judge the translation on the basis of its introduction alone. "The translation itself is not bad, and when you take into consideration that the team of researchers who wrote it are not Talmud experts, then their work is not bad at all.

"Apparently the version they had before them was a copy of the Talmud in Aramaic but they often used the English Schottenstein translation to better understand the text. I believe there is a certain gap between the relative fairness of the translation itself and the problematic introduction.

"I believe the introduction is a kind of lip service meant to appease the Arab reader who has a set agenda on Israel. I believe that eventually after all the reservations, it seems that the results of the project will be positive as the translation itself is useful and will allow Arab speakers to become familiar with Judaism from a perspective disconnected of the Israel-Arab conflict.

"Today's knowledge of Judaism in the Arab world is meager and filled with stereotypes. I believe these stereotypes will fade away for the reader who goes beyond the introduction."

Arab translation of Talmud includes anti-Israeli messages - Israel Jewish Scene, Ynetnews

Anyone care to take that bet?