Table Of ContentDeconstructing the Talmud
This monograph uses deconstruction—a philosophical movement originated by
Jacques Derrida—to read the most authoritative book in Judaism: the Talmud.
Examining deconstruction in comparison with Kant’s and Hegel’s philosophies,
the volume argues that the movement opens an innovative debate on
Jewish Law.
First, the monograph interprets deconstruction within the major streams of
continental philosophy; then, it criticizes many aspects of Foucault’s and Agam-
ben’s philosophy, rejecting their notion of law. On these premises, the research
delivers a close examination of many fundamental aspects of the Talmud. Con-
sequently, it provides a short history of Rabbinic literature, a history of the dis-
semination of the Talmud from Babylon to Northern France, and an analysis of
Talmudic vocabulary from a deconstructive perspective. Each key concept of the
Talmud is analysed according to the deconstructive dialectics between orality
and writing. Closing with a comparison between the Talmud and Derrida’s most
enigmatic text, Glas, the study argues that deconstruction dismantles the tradi-
tional notion of the Talmud to outline a new approach to Jewish Law.
Reading the Talmud through deconstruction, this new angle makes the
volume an essential resource for students and scholars interested in Jewish
studies, continental philosophy, and the Middle East.
Federico Dal Bo holds a PhD in Translation Studies and a PhD in Jewish
Studies. He was the recipient of a Marie Curie Fellowship during 2016 to 2019.
His most recent publication is Emanation and Philosophy of Language: An
Introduction to Joseph ben Abraham Giqatilla (2019).
Routledge Jewish Studies Series
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The Making of Modern Jewish Identity
Ideological Change and Religious Conversion
Motti Inbari
Charity in Rabbinic Judaism
Atonement, Rewards, and Righteousness
Alyssa M. Gray
Deconstructing the Talmud
The Absolute Book
Federico Dal Bo
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/
middleeaststudies/series/JEWISH
Deconstructing the Talmud
The Absolute Book
Federico Dal Bo
First published 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Federico Dal Bo
The right of Federico Dal Bo to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-i n-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in-Publication Data
Names: Dal Bo, Federico, author.
Title: Deconstructing the Talmud : the absolute book / Federico Dal Bo.
Description: 1 [edition]. | New York : Routledge, 2019. | Series: Routledge
Jewish studies series | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019015157 (print) | LCCN 2019022273 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781138208223 (hardback) | ISBN 9781315459899 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Talmud--Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Deconstruction.
Classification: LCC BM504 .D28 2019 (print) | LCC BM504 (ebook) |
DDC 296.1/2506--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019015157
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019022273
ISBN: 978-1-138-20822-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-45989-9 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear
In the petal-s hedding night
Haun Han
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Talmud tractate abbreviations ix
Introduction 1
1 Speech and writing: on deconstruction 17
2 On Messianism and Jewish Law 49
3 A short ‘deconstructive history’ of Rabbinic literature 83
4 Writing and orality from the Geonim to the Tosafot 114
5 A deconstructive analysis of Talmudic vocabulary 152
6 Beyond the ‘Absolute Book’ 187
A short glossary of Rabbinic and Talmudic terms 229
Bibliography 231
Index 236
Acknowledgements
Deconstruction might be absolutely right about the ‘death of the author.’ This
possibly spares me the pain of writing a Preface but not the duty of paying the
bill that academic etiquette sends me to collect. Besides, deconstruction has
insisted much on the question of debt—the price everyone has to pay to belong
to the symbolic order.
I was inspired by someone who truly believes in literature and urged me to
write this monograph in the most fair, authentic, and personal way possible. This
is why the reader will find only minimal references to secondary literature but
may indulge in my effort of ‘deconstructing the Talmud’ and directly reading
primary sources—Rabbinic literature and Jacques Derrida.
Some parts of this monographs were discussed, more or less explicitly, more
or less consciously, with my fellows at the ICI Berlin Institute for Cultural
Inquiry in 2014–2016. Dr Christoph Holzhey and Prof Manuele Gragnolati were
so kind to accept me as a fellow in their incredible centre for research and
culture, where I enjoyed fierce discussions with Dr Arnd Wedemeyer—learning
from him much more than, alas, he could learn from me.
The final chapters of this monograph were written as I was Marie Curie post-
doctoral fellow at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 2016–2019. Prof
Alexander Fidora and the rest of the group involved in the study of the Latin
translation of the Talmud opened my eyes to an unexplored field that contributed
much to redefining my understanding of the theological-p olitical tensions in the
Talmud.
I would also like to thank the publisher and anonymous reviewers who kindly
accepted my monograph for publication and, from the very first moment, helped
me with many important suggestions. Finally, I would like to express my deepest
gratitude to Mrs Sally Evans-D arby for carefully proofreading the manuscript
and taming my English.
Jerusalem, March 10, 2019
Talmud tractate abbreviations
The letter m is used to designate the corresponding tractate from the Mishnah.
The letter t is used to designate the corresponding tractate from the Tosefta. The
letter y is used to designate the corresponding tractate from the Talmud of the
Land of Israel. The letter b is used to designate the corresponding tractate from
the Babylonian Talmud.
For instance: mBer designates the tractate Berakhot from the Mishnah; tBer
designates the tractate Berkhot from the Tosefta; yBer designates the tractate
Berakhot from the Talmud of the Land of Israel; bBer designates the tractate
Berakhot from the Babylonian Talmud.
Ar Arakhin
Av Avoth
AZ Avodah Zarah
BB Bava Bathra
Bek Bekhorot
Ber Berakhot
Bet Betzah
Bikk Bikkurim
BM Bava Metzia
BQ Bava Qama
Dem Demai
Ed ‘Eduyot
Er ‘Erubin
Git Gittin
Hag Chagigah
Hal MS Hallah
Hor Horayot
Hul Chullin
Kel Kelim
Ker Keritot
Ket Ketuvot
Kil Kilayim
Mak Makshirin
