Biography of the Vilna Shas תלמוד בבלי Moshe Freedman ירושלים תמוז תשס״ז דרכיה דרכי נעם בס״ד Introduction Typeset by the Romm Printing House in the city of Vilna, Lithuania, the Vilna Shas is by far the most common edition of the Babylonian Talmud still in use today. This biographical analysis of a typical page of Talmud was designed to help both beginner and more advanced learners to familiarize themselves with the origin and function of the various commentators printed on the margins of the classic Vilna Shas. Besides the primary commentaries of Rashi and Tosafos, the Romm printers made use of a variety of other important, but less well known commentaries in the outer margins of the text. The publishing house employed scholars to search for these manuscripts in libraries and private collections across Europe, including that of the Vatican. After studying these lost manuscripts, the scholars were able to copy them and bring them to the Romm publishers who included them, even though they did not cover every tractate. In this biography the only one of these commentaries mentioned is Rabbeinu Chananel whose manuscripts were found for most of Shas. Furthermore, the Sefer HaAruch (written by Rabbi Nosson ben Yechiel) indicates that Rabbeinu Chananel’s commentary originally covered every tractate, although many have now been lost. Different tractates contain other commentaries in the margins of the Gemara. The additional commentaries not included in this work include the following: Rabbi Nissim Gaon 4750 – 4822 מאור הגולה ,CE), Perush Rabbeinu Gershom, refered to as the Meor HaGolah 1062 – 990) 4720 – 4788 (960 – 1028 CE), Hagahos HaRi Landau by Rabbi Yechezkel Landau 5473 – 5553 (1713 – 1793 CE) also known as the Noda B’Yehuda and Rabbi Yeshaya of Trani I .(CE 1260 – 1180) 5020 – 4940 תוספות רי״ד ,HaZaken, known as Tosafos Rid The ‘Tzuras HaDaf’ layout is designed to facilitate the visual learner and is based on the original printing of the Vilna Talmud. This edition was first printed between 5640 and 5646 (1880 and 1886 CE), although it has now been reproduced and reprinted with innovative features and changes that organize the commentaries on the outside columns differently. No mention has been made of new versions in this pamphlet. Acknowledgements I owe enormous thanks to the Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbi Yitzchak Hirshfeld and Rabbi Shaya Karlinsky along with all of the Rebbeim at Yeshivat Darche Noam/David Shapell College who gave advice and encouragement that facilitated the success of this project. Particular thanks must go to Rabbi Dovid Kamenetsky for checking the text and confirming that all the information contained in it is correct and to Rabbi Gidon Shoshan for his proof reading and proposals regarding the presentation. I also wish to thank Rabbi Elie Silverberg for his suggestions and corrections and to all of the other Gemara Rebbeim who gave their comments, and to Yisroel Choleva for analysing the text and pointing out various corrections. Future projects I will be continuing this project and beginning work on the other commentaries ,אם ירצה השם Please contact .ספרי קדש at the back of the Vilna Shas before starting new projects on other me at [email protected] for any comments you may have and to order more copies. © Moshe Freedman Kislev 5768 Third Edition מסורת Masechta Perek Number Name of the Perek ב עין משפט הש״ס נר מצוה means additions Rashi · Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki was born on (תוספות) Ein Mishpat Ner The · word Tosafos א א Mitzva: The Wellspring th nd and serves as an analysis to Rashi and an 29 Shevat 4800 (February 22 1040) of Justice – The Lamp of Commandment was analysis of apparent contradictions in the text of and died on 22nd Tamuz 4865 (July 13th 1105). He authored by the Spanish Rabbi Yehoshua Boaz the Mishna and Gemara based on Mishnayos and was born in Troyes in France and as well as writing תורה אור : .Mevorach Gemaras elsewhere in Shas a commentary on the Talmud, The Ein Mishpat Tosafos · is printed on the also wrote commentaries on ב ב Ner Mitzva is a : combination of two opposite side to the Tanach Rashi was the THE MISHNA cross-reference indices. Rashi farthest from the only child · to his parents, The Torah Ohr, found binding and is printed in Yitzchak and Leah. He ג ג between the text of the Rashi script. There were a traced his lineage through his Gemara and Rashi’s was compiled around the year number of Baalei Tosafos in father's side back to Rabbi commentary was also 3960 (200 CE) by Rabbi The Mesores HaShas written by Rabbi different yeshivas throughout Yochanan Hasandlar who in means tradition of the Yehoshua Boaz and cites Yehudah Ha-Nasi. The sages of six orders of the the sources for the the 12th and 13th centuries turn was a direct descendant Mishna. pesukim in Tanach and it probably began as the Mishna are known as the of King David : Rashi’s brought down in the text of the Mishna and notes made by the talmidim Tannaim. The word Mishna commentary · was originally Gemara. It is referenced written within the text of the ,שנה comes from the root )משנה) : by an open circle in the on discussions and shiurim The Mesoras HaShas The Mishna and Gemara. Later, was written by Rabbi גמ ׳ :text like this: Some · of the most prolific which means to teach Yehoshua Boaz Baalei Tosafos period of the Gemara began the printers of the Talmud Mevorach (see Ein Mishpat Ner Mitzvah). include Rabbi Yaakov ben after the redaction of the placed his commentary Mishna. Sages throughout around the side of the text, on (ר״ת ,Meir (Rabbenu Tam from Ramerupt in France Eretz Yisrael and Babylonia, the inner margin by the who lived from 4860 – 4931 called Amoraim, analyzed, binding. The type face used is CE). He was debated and discussed the called ‘Rashi script’ which 1171 – 1100) רבינו חננאל the grandson of Rashi. takes its name from its use in Rabbeinu Channanel mishnayos. These discussions ben Chushiel lived Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir Rashi’s commentaries; Rashi from 990 – 1055 CE form the basis of the Gemara .and were written did not write in Rashi script (גמרא) who (רשב״ם ,in Tunisia, North (Rashbam Africa. His lived from 4845 – 4934 It developed as a printed הגהות commentary on the primarily in Aramaic, the הב״ח Talmud is one of the (1085 – 1174 CE). Rabbi version of the semi-cursive earliest. Rabbeinu language spoken in Babylonia Yitzchak of Dampierre (Ri, way that Hebrew was Channanel mainly and in Eretz Yisrael after the (A) Compiled by Rabbi deals with the (written by Jews in Italy Yoel Sirkes (the Bach – 1120) 4960 – 4880 (ר״י explanation of return from the Babylonian 1200 CE), lived in France between the 14th and 15th who wrote notes on the principle s and issues exile. The Gemara provides a textual syntax and raised in the Gemara. during the 12th century. Century. Each entry begins sentence structure in the On occasion he is detailed analysis of the Mishna, Talmud, Rashi and also cited by Tosafos. The nephew of Rabbenu with a heading called the Tosafos. ד״ה = ) ’His commentary is Tam and the Rashbam he raising difficulties and questions: ‘dibbur hamaschil unique in that it often (B) The Bach lived in In new Poland from 5321 (1561 .( ד יּבוּר ה מ ת ח יל The text of the Mishna מתני ׳ brings equivalent was one of the most prolific sugyos from the is broken up into segments also CE) until 5400 (1640 Jerusalem Talmud. of the Baalei Tosafos. editions of the Talmud these CE). His most famous Rabbi Shmuel 4840 – 4918 known as individual mishnayos are printed in bold : The student was Rabbi (C) The Bach is cited by and commentary · has many a Rashi script letter in ( מ ׁשנ ה plural of מ ׁשנ יוֹת) Yitzchak ben Yaakov (1080 – 1158 CE) was the Alfasi, also known as brother of Rabbenu Tam. accordingly, each segment is functions. Rashi helps us parentheses (as shown .(Also above .רי״ף ,the Rif many of Rabbeinu Rabbi Shimshon ben called a Mishna. The Mishna understand the simple Chananel’s comments can be found in the Avraham of Shantz (Tosafos quoted in the text of the meaning of the Mishna and a ,ספר הערוך Shantz), lived in France during Gemara, focusing on specific dictionary compiled Talmud and introduced in the by Rabbi Noson ben the latter 12th and early 13th text of the Talmud by the word issues while resolving Yechiel of Rome. ,meaning ‘our difficulties in the text. Often מתני׳ = מ ת נ ית ין Please refer to the century and was the most introduction for other important disciple of the Ri. this is achieved by completing commentaries that Mishna’, can be one segment, a may appear here. In addition to his Tosafos he part of a segment or passages in the text that have composed a commentary to apparently been truncated by גליון הש״ס consecutive segments joined the two orders of the Mishna the Mishna or Gemara. He together. A number of The Gilyon HaShas for which no Babylonian occasionally brings different was written by Rabbi make up a Akiva Eiger who lived מ( ׁשניוֹת) mishnayos Talmud was written. Another versions of the text. Some in Posen, Prussia chapter), a number פ ר ק) perek Baal Tosafos was Rabbi Meir entries of Rashi are meant to between 5522 and of 5598 (1761-1837 CE). ben Baruch of Rothenberg be read independently from His notes reference relevant passages in while other entries are meant to Shas and other ד יּבוּר ה מ ת ח יל who was born in Worms, Germany, 4985 – the 5053 (1225 – 1293 CE).