Review of ‘The Talmudic Argument’ by Philip R. Davies

JACOBS, L., The Talmudic Argument, Cambridge: CUP, 1984. Pp. xvi + 220. Cloth, £25.00/$44.50. ISBN 0-521-26370-0.

In a series of analyses of selected Talmudic sugyot, Jacobs illustrates his thesis that these arguments have been artificially constructed, and that the Babylonian Talmud must be due to a thorough literary redaction in the 5th-6th century CE. This conclusion is capable of some nuancing perhaps, but the analyses themselves, with explanations of the technical terms and the chess-like moves, afford an excellent entry into the world of Talmudic reasoning, offering a splendid resource to teacher and student alike.

P.R. Davies