The Babylonian Talmud, Book 8

This is the eighth 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 eighth book consists of the Tract Sanhedrin, the main focus of which is centered around the theme of crime and punishment. A noteworthy discussion that takes place in this book is regarding the 'stubborn and rebellious son' in Chapter VIII. The rabbis express their skepticism about the notion of putting to death a son who shows disrespect towards his father in a specific way. This debate leads to the establishment of a fundamental principle of jurisprudence, which states that divine law's execution must be moderated by human compassion. In addition to this, the book covers various other subjects such as the location of the lost tribes, the material used for the windows on Noah's ark, and the arrival time of the Messiah. It should be noted that Rodkinson has been criticized by traditionalist Jews who feel that translating the Talmud is not an acceptable practice.