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.
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 student at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and NYU's Courant Institute for Computer Science. When I entered the rabbinate in the summer of 1997/5757, I stopped doing any real work on Webshas. Over the years I’ve tried to get back into it off and on, but without success. I am now trying to start work on WebShas again; we'll see how it goes.
!