The Doctored Talmud: Prague, 1728

There’s a long and painful history of the Gemara being censored in Christian lands, but in 1728, a draconian form of censorship led to the publication of a heavily redacted Maseches Berachos. A fierce debate erupted within the Jewish community: was it better to print a mutilated Gemara, or not to print it at all? In this class, we explore the rabbinic voices on both sides, the arguments they advanced, and actual examples of the edits. It’s a compelling glimpse into a community grappling with impossible choices under the weight of galus. Link to this 1728 edition: https://books.google.com/books?id=IW9iAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=true The Doctored Talmud: Prague, 1728