Webshas is designed as a topical index to the Talmud. The discussions recorded on every page of the Talmud, the people whose lives are described in the Talmud, and the deductive methodologies employed in the Talmud, are all to be found in this index under their own headings.
One way to use the index is to search by Category. Under this system, a discussion about Havdalah? will be found by clicking on "Calendar Issues", then "Shabbat", then "Havdalah".
Another way to use the index is to search with Google, looking for keywords. Note, though, that transliteration of Hebrew and Aramaic into English letters is dicey, and you may have to try several variant spellings. Note, too, that this depends on the regular updating of Google's database.
A third way to use the index is to look at the alphabetical index. This index is very much a work in progress, but you may find it the best option for finding a specific topic quickly.
Some Hebrew terms are followed by ? links; clicking on that link will open a small window with a definition of the term.
Please note that the goal of WebShas is to provide References, and not the Talmudic text. As a result of this and other factors, there are instances of vague language. In addition, certain English translations do not convey the full import of the original Aramaic and its nuances. Therefore, I must present the self-evident warning that no conclusions regarding Jewish law may be drawn from the information presented within.
Who Am I?
My name is Mordechai Torczyner.
I began working on WebShas in the summer of 1995/5755, both as a study aid for others and as a method of reviewing my own learning. At the time, I was a full-time student at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and NYU's Courant Institute for Computer Science.
In the summer of 1997/5757 I married Caren and took a position at Congregation Ohave Shalom, Young Israel of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and stopped working on Webshas.
That hiatus continued when I became the rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, Pennsylvania in June of 2001/5761.
I am now happy to report that an anonymous grant will enable me to work on Webshas on a very part-time basis. Gd-willing, as I find time I'll be adding to Webshas again.
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