The Mishnah is the foundation of Jewish religion as it is practiced today. It is also the primary source for learning about the the Pharisees, the religious group among the Jews with which Jesus most often agreed, though sometimes strongly disagreed! This is a very different world from the world of Gentile Christianity, but one with important connections to the gospel account. Not everyone likes Neusner's translation. We also have the traditional version by Danby (see Jewish Sources). --JH

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Product Description

"The Mishna", a six-part codification of oral rabbinic law, is the basis of the Talmud. It is one of the two holy books upon which Judaism has been constructed. This edition aims to provide as close to a literal translation as possible, following the syntax of Mishnaic Hebrew.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #250512 in Books
• Published on: 1991-01-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1207 pages

Language Notes
Text: English, Hebrew (translation)

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Customer Reviews

It's not bad, but I'd go for Danby or Blackman.
Neusner has compiled the translations of several of his students in this work. There is an unevenness to the quality of translation. Some tractates are well-translated and others seem to lack the idiomatic quality which one who reads Hebrew understands in the original. Prof. Neusner is to be complemented for arranging the mishnayot in each perek in such an manner that they resemble the way they were learned in the oral academies of old and are still learned among students in modern yeshivot. As a second edition to compliment an already existing translation on your booksehlf I would heartily recommend it. If you're looking for that first copy of the Mishnah for your library get Danby's translation (Oxford Univ. Pr.) or Blackman's Hebrew/English (Judaica Pr.).

A LANDMARK TRANSLATION
Jacob Neusner's translation of the Mishnah (which he undertook in collaboration with several of his pupils) was first published in 1988. It is a landmark among modern popular translations of ancient Rabbinic texts, and has rapidly become a standard work, taking its place alongside the earlier English translations by Herbert Danby and Philip Blackman.

Unlike those earlier translations, however, Neusner's approximates in English the particular flavour of the eliptical, laconic style of the original. For the first time, English-speaking readers can gain an insight into how the Mishnah says what it says, without the paraphrases and glosses of Danby and Blackman.

But Neusner's approach to the translation has its price. First, the text does not flow like Danby's translation. Readers are made starkly aware that the Mishnah is a compilation of teachings, not a work of literature. Second, the terse, eliptical style results from the Mishnah's being written originally for readers who understood not only the subject matter but also the set of the minds that considered it and the milieu that cradled it. There is therefore much in the text that is taken for granted, and uninitiated readers can feel at a disadvantage.

To meet the needs of the uninitiated, however, Neusner provides an extensive introduction. This places the Mishnah in context and explains its purpose. It is a mine of information presented with the clarity and simplicity of style which only the greatest scholars command. Indeed, the introduction is valuable for the expert as well as the novice.

In short, this is an important work. Its value lies in two particular areas: the non-paraphrastic style of the translation that imitates as closely as reasonably possible the style of the original, and the extent and quality of the background material provided in the Introduction.

Good for the beginner
The great advantage of this work is that it has the entire Mishnah in one volume. It is also by and large readable. However it is no substitute for the Hebrew original and certainly not a proper tool for in- depth learning. The translation is not always completely accurate. I do not want to show ingratitude for at one point this work helped me a lot. I do however believe it is a tool for a stage in ' learning' and that the deeper understanding awaits those who will at some point be able to meet with the Hebrew original and its many great commentators.