The Babylonian Talmud, Book 4

This is the fourth book of The Babylonian Talmud by Jewish scholar Michael L. Rodkinson. This ten-volume set was an attempt to translate the Talmud, the vast collection of Jewish laws and traditions. Rodkinsons' edition contains complete translations of the 'Festivals' and 'Jurisprudence' sections of the Talmud, comprising only about a third of the Talmud. This fourth book completes the Festivals portion. Tract Betzah details regulations about cooking, fishing, hunting and other activities on feast days. Tract Succah discusses the Festival of the Tabernacles, particularly the construction and use of the Succah, or booth. Moed Katan is about miscellaneous laws about some minor festivals, for instance activites which are permissible during intercalendary periods. Taanith has discussions about the beginning of the rains, including a sequence of folktales about rainmaking Rabbis. Megilla is about Purim, particularly about the public reading of the book of Esther during that festival. Ebel Rabbath is about mourning and other funerary activities. It should be noted that Rodkinson has been criticized by traditionalist Jews who feel that translating the Talmud is not an acceptable practice.