Reasons for studying the Talmud Illuminated

Acquire business acumen

  • Some part of the Talmud are especially conducive to learning how to conduct competitive yet fair business. These deal with civil law, the study of which makes a person smart.
  • Here is why. If one is asked if it is allowed to play chess on a certain Festival day, one risks nothing by answering "No!" But in civil law you have two parties to the lawsuit. "No" for one is "yes" for the other one. Thus, you need to know the exact reason for the "yes" or "no" answer. Finding these reasons sharpens one's brain.

    • Acquire good character traits

  • Often, people cause the greatest possible damage when angry. They say the thing that they later regret, or do an act.
  • The ancient sage by the name of Hillel would not get angry even when provoked on purpose. Here is how he did it.

    • Acquire taste in art

  • This is not, properly speaking, the benefit of Talmud study. However, it definitely is the benefit of Talmud Illuminated.
  • The art choice is done completely by a woman (my wife) and represent the breadth and depth of her knowledge of art acquired originally growing up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and then continued through various means.

    • Promotion of peace

  • In many discussions, one must keep in mind multiple opposing points of view. By this practice, one learns how to understand others with whom one disagrees.
  • If there have to be arguments in the world, their share should better happen as friendly discussions rather than open physical confrontations.

    • Acquaint oneself with the feminist point of view

  • Every page is explained by a text passage and a choice of painting. There is always a tension between the two: the text is written by Mark (he, his), and the art is chosen by Helena (she, her).
  • Beyond that, the painting represents a conscious choice of a feminist point of view.
  • Let me give you an example. If a man suspects his wife of infidelity, he can take her to the Temple to be tested with water. The Talmud wants to know, how much water? The choice of the painting clearly shows that the man only has himself to blame for what happens and that the male reader himself might well violate anything if he were in a similar situation. Watch for the paintings and their titles. Make a connection between the text and the title - that also has meaning.

    • Prepare for real study

  • After reading the summary, you will be ready to learn the real page, and not get lost in the intricacies and changing subject.

    • More benefits of Talmud study

  • Talmud is the hidden Bible. When the books of the Bible (Torah) were written, a large compendium of laws and stories were kept out of the Bible and instead taught orally, from teacher to student.
  • After about two thousand years of such transmission, and due to the danger of the teaching being lost, it was written down, in Hebrew and Aramaic.
  • The twentieth century saw the translation in English, with the explanations. Talmud Illuminated is a unique compendium of summaries of each page, illustrated with a fitting choice from world art. It is thus a priceless body of knowledge the study of which will confer many benefits on the student. Here are some of these benefits listed below.

    • Mental gymnastics

  • Elderly people are advised to exercise their brains with card games, crossword puzzles, and other activities. Much more powerful benefits will accrue to anyone who exercises their brains regularly. The obvious parallel between intellectual study and exercising in the gym tells it all.

    • Why is this study possible?

  • With Talmud Illuminated, everyone can get the benefits listed below. Here every page is summarized in clear English. Moreover, it is made more enjoyable by a select artwork, interplaying with the text. We will talk more about art later.