"Rabbi," the man said, "Please explain the Talmud to me."
"Very well," he said. "First, I will ask you a question. If two
men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"The dirty one," answers the man.
"No. They look at each other and the dirty man thinks he is
clean and the clean man thinks he is dirty, therefore, the
clean man washes himself. Now, another question. If two
men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
The man smiles and says, "You just told me, Rabbi. The
man who is clean washes himself because he thinks he
is dirty."
"No," says the Rabbi. "If they each look at themselves, the
clean man knows he doesn't have to wash himself, so the
dirty man washes himself. Now, one more question. If two
men climb up a chimn! ey and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"I don't know, Rabbi. Depending on your point of view, it
could be either one."
Again the Rabbi says, "No. If two men climb up a chimney,
how could one man remain clean? They both are dirty, and
they both wash themselves."
The confused man said, "Rabbi, you asked me the same
question three times and you gave me three different
answers. Is this some kind of a joke?"
"This is not a joke, my son. This is Talmud."
"Very well," he said. "First, I will ask you a question. If two
men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"The dirty one," answers the man.
"No. They look at each other and the dirty man thinks he is
clean and the clean man thinks he is dirty, therefore, the
clean man washes himself. Now, another question. If two
men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
The man smiles and says, "You just told me, Rabbi. The
man who is clean washes himself because he thinks he
is dirty."
"No," says the Rabbi. "If they each look at themselves, the
clean man knows he doesn't have to wash himself, so the
dirty man washes himself. Now, one more question. If two
men climb up a chimn! ey and one comes out dirty, and one
comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"I don't know, Rabbi. Depending on your point of view, it
could be either one."
Again the Rabbi says, "No. If two men climb up a chimney,
how could one man remain clean? They both are dirty, and
they both wash themselves."
The confused man said, "Rabbi, you asked me the same
question three times and you gave me three different
answers. Is this some kind of a joke?"
"This is not a joke, my son. This is Talmud."
Vastaukset 1
Vanhimmat
summerset: Hi...What is the Talmud? As you can tell, I am not Jewish.
Answer:
Rabbi Latowicz: Actually, there are many Jews who ask the same question! According to Judaism, the Bible was received from G-d with a commentary... this explanation of the Torah & its laws was preserved orally through the generations. Eventually it was recorded in summary form for the very first time in the 2nd century. This summary (the Mishnah) became a text for study for the Rabbis for Jewish law & tradition.
summerset: What exactly does this commentary cover?
Rabbi Latowicz: Sll of the 613 Commandments of the Bible, and every narrative. In Babylon this summary was discussed & expanded in the Great academies that flourished there in the 4th & 5th centuries. The record of all these studies is the Talmud.
summerset: Wow... Is this for Jews only, or is there a way that someone like myself would be able to read it?
Rabbi Latowicz: It was intended primarily for the Jews...today it is available in English translation...but it remains a text that must be studied with a teacher...as has been the case for over one thousand years-that is the system of Jewish learning.
summerset: Well, thanks...I greatly appreciate your time and knowledge.
Rabbi Latowicz: My pleasure! Please visit us again.