Torah database
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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.
A Torah database usually refers to a collection of primary texts, rather than translations or secondary research and reference materials. For the latter, see Judaica database.
Digital Text Software Packages
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 13 or 13+ (the "plus" version contains an important secondary reference called the Talmudic Encyclopedia). [1] (http://www.biu.ac.il/ICJI/Responsa/history.htm) [2] (http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~fraenkel/Papers/trs.ps)
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 Shulhan Arukh and selected responsa. Since its early years it has employed a sophisticated search-engine specifically designed for Hebrew language texts.
In recent years, the Responsa Project has made updates available once a year, between the Passover and Shavuot holidays.
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.
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抯 "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.
Judaic Bookshelf
Also a very large collection.
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,[3] (http://www.biu.ac.il/Press/mikraot.html) but also in electronic form. The project contains four main elements:
- The biblical text (based on the Aleppo codex and a careful reconstruction of its missing parts) is keyed-in, including vowels and cantillation signs, allowing for sophisticated research on details of grammar.
- The mesorah is also keyed in (also based on the Aleppo codex and supplemented by a special commentary.
- The Targum is included with vowels, based on the Yemenite Taj.
- The biblical commentaries are also keyed-in as fresh new critical editions, including textual variants from manuscripts.
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.)
Digital Hebrew Texts with Vowels (Niqqud)
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 except for the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project. 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.
Page-Image Software Packages
Otzar HaHochma
This ambitious new project is based the page-images of over 15,000 printed books (and even a few manuscripts). About a third of these volumes are also searchable. The system allows the user to add notes to the texts and create his own hyperlinks.
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.
Free Torah Libraries Online
All of the databases listed above are patented commercial products, and may not be used without permission of the copyright holders. Currently, no special free content project exists for keying traditional Jewish books into digital form. However, the Hebrew Wikisource does host such texts when they are contributed by volunteer typists.
There are also some online projects that make either digital texts, or public domain images of old books, available to the public for free:
Mechon Mamre (digital freeware)
Mechon Mamre makes the following digital Hebrew texts available as freeware:
- Tanakh (including versions with vowels and cantillation signs)
- Four major sources of the Oral Law:
- Mishnah (without vowels, based on Maimonides' version)
- Babylonian Talmud
- Jerusalem Talmud
- Tosefta
- Mishneh Torah of Maimonides (based on Yemenite manuscripts)
The digital texts available at Snunit[4] (http://kodesh.snunit.k12.il/) are taken (with permission) from Mechon Mamre.
Seforim Online (public domain images)
"Seforim Online" ("seforim" means "books") provides PDF images of several hundred classic rabbinic texts for downloading. Many or most of them are hard-to-find or rare editions.
HebrewBooks.org (public domain images)
This website concentrates on the works of North American rabbis (in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English). Thousands of out-of-print books and journals may be downloaded as PDF images.
External links
Commercial software packages
- The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project (http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Responsa/)
- DBS (http://members.aol.com/dbs111/)
- Judaic Bookshelf - Master Library (TES) (http://www.jewishsoftware.com/products/Judaic_Bookshelf_Master_Library_238.asp)
- Ariel (http://www.arielonline.co.il/)
- Otzar Haposkim (http://www.otzrothashut.com/) (Halamish and Otzar ha-Shut)
- Otzar HaHochma (http://www.otzar.biz/main_e.htm)
Free Torah Libraries Online
- Mechon Mamre (http://www.mechon-mamre.org)
- מאגר ספרות הקודש (http://kodesh.snunit.k12.il/) (based upon the texts at Mechon Mamre)
- Seforim Online (http://www.seforimonline.org)
- HebrewBooks.org (http://www.hebrewbooks.org)
- JNUL Digitized Book Repository (http://jnul.huji.ac.il/eng/digibook.html) - Online images of many dozens of rare books from the Jewish National and University Library, Jerusalem.
- www.otzar770.com - Searchable database of the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Hebrew, Yiddish, English)
Other texts online
- The Hebrew Wikisource contains an extensive, frequently updated list (in Hebrew) of many dozens of digital "Jewish Bookshelf" texts freely available on various websites. The list may be found here.he:מאגר תורני