A Torah database (מאגר תורני or מאגר יהדות) is an electronic collection of classic Jewish texts in electronic form, the kinds of texts which especially in Israel are often called "The Traditional Jewish Bookshelf" (ארון הספרים היהודי); the texts are in their original languages (Hebrew or Aramaic). These databases contain either keyed-in digital texts or a collection of page-images from printed editions. Given the nature of traditional Jewish Torah study, which involves extensive citation and cross-referencing among hundreds of texts written over the course of thousands of years, many Torah databases also make extensive use of hypertext links.
Contents
- The Bar Ilan Responsa Project
- DBS Master Library
- Soncino Classics Collection
- The Torah Bookshelf Halamish
- Ariel
- Mikraot Gedolot Haketer
- Tanakh
- Targum
- Mishnah
- Siddur and liturgy
- Popular ethical works musar
- Popular halakhic works
- Otzar HaHochma
- Otzar ha Shut
- The Steinzaltz Talmud on CD ROM
- Wikimedia Torah study projects
- References
A Torah database usually refers to a collection of primary texts, rather than translations or secondary research and reference materials.
The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project
The very first such database was the Bar Ilan Responsa Project, which began in 1963 at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, migrated to Bar-Ilan University soon thereafter, and was up and running by 1967. It became available in time-sharing mode from university terminals in 1979, was transferred to CD-ROM in 1990, and version 1.0 was offered for sale to the public in 1992. The current version is number 22 or 22+ (the "plus" version contains an important secondary reference called the Encyclopedia Talmudit). [1]
The Responsa Project tries to base its electronic texts on the most accurate printed editions (though it seems that it is sometimes prevented from doing so because of copyright considerations), and it has a reputation for relatively error-free electronic texts based upon those editions. It also features approximately 360,000 hypertext links between the various collections within the database, as well as a topical halakhic index for the Shulchan Aruch and selected responsa. Since its early years it has employed a sophisticated search-engine specifically designed for Hebrew language texts.
In recent years (at least since version 10 in 2002), the Responsa Project has made updates available once a year, between the Passover and Shavuot holidays.
In January, 2007, the responsa project became available in an online edition found at www.responsa.co.il.
In April, 2007 the Responsa Project won the Israel Prize for Jewish studies.
DBS Master Library
DBS rivals the Bar-Ilan Responsa project in size. It has less in the overall area of Halakha and hardly any responsa, but it includes far more in the following areas: Jewish philosophy, Kabbalah, Hasidut, biblical commentaries, and late halakhic works. The major subcollections within DBS are also sold individually.
DBS contains a good number of Hebrew texts with vowels (niqqud); see below. Criticisms: It does not have extensive hypertext links between its various large collections, and it has also been criticized for poor proofreading and error-laden texts.
Soncino Classics Collection
Produced by Davka corporation, Soncino Classics Collection includes
1. Soncino English translations of the Tanach, Babylonian Talmud, Midrash Rabbah, and Zohar;
2. Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the Tanach, Babylonian Talmud, Midrash Rabbah and Zohar, as well as Rashi's commentary on Talmud.
Soncino Classics Collection is a commercial software.
The Torah Bookshelf ("Halamish")
Otzar ha-Poskim (also see below) produces "The Torah Bookshelf," a large digital collection of basic texts called "Halamish" (Ha-Sifriyah ha-Toranit) in Hebrew, currently in version 3.0.
Ariel
Ariel (currently version 2.1) uses the same software as Otzar Haposkim’s "Torah Bookshelf" and is similar to it in scope (a large basic collection), but many of the titles in the two collections are not the same.
Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer
Bar-Ilan University's project to produce an entirely new critical edition of the Mikra'ot Gedolot is also being made available not only in printed volumes,[2] but also in electronic form. The project contains four main elements:
The CD-ROM is currently in version 2.0 (beta).
(Note: Although also under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University, this project is unrelated to the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project.)
Tanakh
Tanakh is available as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels (niqqud) in all of the above software packages.
The Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer package includes not only the vowels, but also cantillation signs. Tanakh with both vowels and cantillation is also available as online freeware from Mechon Mamre (see below). Both versions are based on the Aleppo codex, but Mechon Mamre's edition is based on the editing method of Rabbi Mordecai Breuer, which differs slightly from the Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer edition in some small details.
Targum
Both Targum Onkelos on the Torah and Targum Jonathan on Nevi'im are vowelized (based on Yemenite manuscripts) in the digital texts of Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer. Targum Onkelos is vowelized in the Judaic Bookshelf package.
Mishnah
The Mishnah is included as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels in all of the general software packages above. The vowels in the "Halamish" package seem to be based upon the Albeck edition of the Mishnah (see Mishnah).
Siddur and liturgy
Siddur: Digital siddurim with vowels (according to various customs) are included in DBS (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah), Judaic Bookshelf (Ashkenaz, Sefard), and Ariel (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah). The latest version of DBS (version 10) also includes mahzorim, selihot, and the Passover Haggadah.
Popular ethical works (musar)
Popular ethical works are normally vowelized in published editions. DBS's collection of such works includes vowels in the electronic editions.
Popular halakhic works
Some of these are also vowelized in DBS.
Otzar HaHochma
This project is based on page-images of over 71,000 scanned Jewish books . The search engine allows to search in over 65,000 of these volumes. It is possible to add additional libraries (Mosad Harav Kook, Machon Yerushalayim Publications, Ahavat Shalom Publishers, and Kehot Publication Society). Additionally, the user can find books by topic. The system has features which turns it to a learning tool.[3]
Otzar ha-Shut
Otzar ha-Poskim produces "Otzar ha-Shut" (hyperlinked images of individual responsa indexed according to the order of the Shulhan Arukh). This package also includes "Halamish" (see above).
The Steinzaltz Talmud on CD-ROM
The Steinsaltz Talmud is available as searchable PDF images on CD-ROM. All material from the printed edition is included, but it can be copied and pasted only as images and not as digital text.
Wikimedia Torah study projects
Text study projects at Wikisource allow contributors to help build free content Torah databases at Wikimedia through volunteer typing and editing. Please note that in most instances, these projects proceed much faster in Hebrew than in English.