This course introduces the student to the Jerusalem Talmud (y, Yerushalmi or Palestinian Talmud) which is the major amoraic legal compendium of the Land of Israel. Tractate Niddah has been chosen for representative study because of its unique situation as the only Talmudic Tractate in the Order of Purities and its evidence of the abrupt redaction and closure of the Tractate at the end of chapter 3. Recognition of the dialogic structure of the legal discussions concerning the Mishnah and its elucidation will be emphasized. Terminology, grammar, and syntax of Western Aramaic will be learned with reference to parallels in the Babylonian Talmud. Use of the Bar Ilan Data Base will be demonstrated.

We will begin with Chapter 3 of Tractate Niddah which deal with spontaneous abortion, definitions of personhood of the fetus, uncertain products of conception, intersex fetuses and fetuses of indeterminate sex, fetal development, and fetal malformations, and normal and breech births. Solid background in Biblical or Modern Hebrew is required.