Talmud
3 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Talmud. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
An Encyclopaedia of Occultism (1920)
-"Whoever has the telphillin bound to his head and arm, and the tsitsith thrown over his garments, and the mezuza fixed on his door-post, is protected from sin." Writing of talismans in his Occult Sciences, Mr. A. E. Waite says: "I. The Talisman of the Sun must be composed of a Talisman pure and fine gold, fashioned into a circular plate, and well polished on either side. A serpentine circle, enclosed by a pentagram must be engraved on the obverse side with a diamond-pointed graving tool. The reverse must bear a human head in the centre of the six-pointed star of Solomon , which shall itself be surrounded with the name of the solar intelligence Pi-Rhé, written in the characters of the Magi . This talisman is supposed to insure to its bearer the goodwill of influential persons. It is a preservative against death by heart disease, syncope, aneurism, and epidemic complaints. It must be composed on a Sunday during the passage of the moon through Leo, and when that luminary is in a favourable aspect with Saturn and the Sun. The consecration consists in the exposure of the talisman to the smoke of a perfume composed of cinnamon, incense, saffron, and red sandal, burnt with laurel-wood, and twigs of dessicated heliotrope, in a new chafing-dish, which must be ground into powder and buried in an isolated spot, after the operation is finished. The talisman must be afterwards encased in a satchel of bright yellow silk, which must be fastened on the breast by an interlaced ribbon of the same material, tied in the form of a cross. In all cases the ceremony should be preceded by the conjuration of the Four, to which the reader has already been referred. The form of consecration, accompanied by sprinkling with holy water, may be rendered in the following manner :- 66 "In the name of Elohim, and by the spirit of the living waters, be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of will. Presenting it to the smoke of the perfumes :-By the brazen serpent before which fell the serpents of fire, be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of will. 66 Breathing seven times upon the talisman :-By the firmament and the spirit of the voice, be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of will. "Lastly, when placing some grains of purified earth or salt upon the pentacle:- In the name of the salt of the earth and by virtue of the life eternal, be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of will. "II. The Talisman of the Moon should be composed of a circular and well-polished plate of the purest silver, being of the dimensions of an ordinary medal. The image of a crescent, enclosed in a pentagram, should be graven on the obverse side. On the reverse side, a chalice must be encircled by the duadic seal of Solomon, encompassed by the letters of the lunar genius Pi-Job. This talisman is considered a protection to travellers, and to sojourners in strange lands. It preserves from death by drowning, by epilepsy, by dropsy, by apoplexy, and madness. The dangers of a violent end which is predicted by Saturnian aspects in horoscopes of nativity, may be removed by its means. It should be composed on a Monday, when the moon is passing through the first ten degrees of Capricornus or Virgo, and is also well aspected with Saturn. Its consecration consists in exposure to a perfume composed of white sandal, camphor, aloes, amber, and pulverised seed of cucumber, burnt with dessicated stalks of mugwort, moonwort, and ranunculus, in a new earthen chafing-dish, which must be reduced, after the operation, into powder, and buried in a deserted spot. The talisman must be sewn up in a satchel of white silk, and fixed on the breast by a ribbon of the same colour, interlaced and tied in the form of a cross. "III. The Talisman of Mars must be composed of a well-polished circular plate of the finest iron, and of the dimensions of an ordinary medal. The symbol of a sword in the centre of a pentagram must be engraved on the obverse side. A lion's head surrounded by a six-pointed star must appear on the reverse face, with the letters of the name Erotosi, the planetary genius of Mars, above the outer angles. This talisman passes as a preservative against all combinations of enemies. It averts the chance of death in brawls and battles, in epidemics and fevers, and by corroding ulcers. It also neutralizes the peril of a violent end as a punishment for crime when it is foretold in the horoscope of the nativity. "This talisman must be composed on a Tuesday, during the passage of the moon through the ten first degrees of Aries or Sagittarius, and when, moreover, it is favourably aspected with Saturn and Mars. The consecration consists in its exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of dried absinth and rue, burnt in an earthen vessel which has never been previously used, and which must be broken into powder, and buried in a secluded place, when the operation is completed. Finally, the talisman must be sewn up in a satchel of red silk, and fastened on the breast with ribbons of the same material folded and knotted in the form of a cross. "IV. The Talisman of Mercury must be formed of a circular plate of fixed quicksilver, or according to another account of an amalgam of silver, mercury, and pewter, of the dimensions of an ordinary medal, well-polished on both sides. A winged caduceus, having two serpents twining about it, must be engraved in the centre of a pentagram on the obverse side. The other must bear a dog's head within the star of Solomon, the latter being surrounded with the name of the planetary genius, Pi-Hermes, written in the alphabet of the Magi. This talisman must be composed on a Wednesday, when the moon is passing through the ten first degrees of Gemini or Scorpio, and is well aspected with Saturn and Mercury. The consecration consists in its exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of benzoin, macis, and storax, burnt with the dried stalks of the lily, the narcissus, fumitory, and marjolane, placed in a clay chafing-dish which has never been devoted to any other purpose, and which must, after the completion of the task, be reduced to powder and buried in an undisturbed place. The Talisman of Mercury is judged to be a defence in all species of commerce and business industry. Buried under the ground in a house of commerce, it will draw customers and prosperity. It preserves all who wear it from epilepsy and madness. It averts death by murder and poison; it is a safeguard against the schemes of treason and it procures prophetic dreams when it is worn on the head during sleep. It is fastened on the breast by a ribbon of purple silk folded and tied in the form of a cross, and the talisman is itself enclosed in a satchel of the same material. 66 V. The Talisman of Jupiter must be formed of a circular plate of the purest English pewter, having the dimensions of an ordinary medal, and being highly polished on either side. The image of a four-pointed crown in the centre of a pentagram must be engraved on the obverse side. On the other must be the head of an eagle in the centre of the six-pointed star of Solomon, which must be surrounded by the name of the planetary genius Pi-Zeous, written in the arcane alphabet. "This talisman must be composed on a Thursday, during the passage of the moon through the first ten degrees of Libra, and when it is also in a favourable aspect with Saturn and Jupiter. The consecration consists in its exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of incense, ambergris, balm, grain of Paradise , saffron, and macis, which is the second coat of the nutmeg. These must be burnt with wood of the oak, poplar, fig tree, and pomegranate, and placed in a new earthen dish, which must be ground into powder, and buried in a quiet spot, at the end of the ceremony. The talisman must be wrapped in a satchel of sky-blue silk, suspended on the breast by a ribbon of the same material, folded and fastened in the form of a cross. Talisman "The Talisman of Jupiter is held to attract to the wearer the benevolence and sympathy of everyone. It averts anxieties, favours honourable enterprises, and augments well-being in proportion to social condition. It is a protection against unforeseen accidents, and the perils of a violent death when it is threatened by Saturn in the horoscope of nativity. It also preserves from death by affections of the liver, by inflammation of the lungs, and by that cruel affection of the spinal marrow, which is termed tabes dorsalis in medicine. "VI. The Talisman of Venus must be formed of a circular plate of purified and well-polished copper. It polished on both its sides. It must bear on the obverse must be of the ordinary dimensions of a medal, perfectly face the letter G inscribed in the alphabet of the Magi, and enclosed in a pentagram. A dove must be engraved on the reverse, in the centre of the six-pointed star, which must be surrounded by the letters which compose the name of the planetary Genius Suroth. This talisman must be composed on a Friday, during the passage of the moon through the first ten degrees of Taurus or Virgo, and when that luminary is well aspected with Saturn and Venus. Its consecration consists in its exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of violets and roses, burnt with olive wood in a new earthen chafing-dish, which must be ground into powder at the end of the operation and buried in a solitary spot. The talisman must, finally, be sewn up in a satchel of green or rose-coloured silk, which must be fastened on the breast by a band of the same material, folded and tied in the form of a cross. The Talisman of Venus is accredited with extraordinary power in cementing the bonds of love and harmony between husbands and wives. It averts from those who wear it the spite and machinations of hatred. It preserves women from the terrible and fatal diseases which are known as cancer. It averts from both men and women all danger of death, to which they may be accidentally or purposely exposed. It counterbalances the unfortunate presages which may appear in the horoscope of nativity. Its last and most singular quality is its power to change the animosity of an enemy into a love and devotion which will be proof against every temptation, and it rests on the sole condition that such a person should be persuaded to partake of a liquid in which the talisman has been dipped. "VII. The Talisman of Saturn must be composed of a circular plate of refined and purified lead, being of the dimensions of an ordinary medal, elaborately polished. On the obverse side must be engraven with the diamondpointed tool which is requisite in all these talismanic operations, the image of a sickle enclosed in a pentagram. The reverse side must bear a bull's head, enclosed in the star of Solomon, and surrounded by the mysterious letters which compose, in the alphabet of the Magi, the name of the planetary Genius Tempha. The person who is intended to wear this talisman must engrave it himself, without witnesses, and without taking any one into his confidence. 66 This talisman must be composed on a Saturday when the moon is passing through the first ten degrees of Taurus or Capricorn, and is favourably aspected with Saturn. It must be consecrated by exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of alum, assa-fœtida, cammonée, and sulphur, which must be burnt with cypress, the wood of the ash tree, and sprays of black hellebore, in a new earthen chafing-dish, which must be reduced into powder at the end of the performance, and buried in a deserted place. The talisman must, finally, be sewn up in a satchel of black silk and fastened on the breast with a ribbon of the same material, folded and tied in the form of a cross. The Talisman of Saturn was affirmed to be a safeguard against BB death by apoplexy and cancer, decay in the bones, consumption, dropsy, paralysis, and decline; it was also a preservative against the possibility of being entombed in a trance, against the danger of violent death by secret crime, poison, or ambush. If the head of the army in war-time were to bury the Talisman of Saturn in a place which it was feared might fall into the hands of the enemy, the limit assigned by the presence of the talisman could not be overstepped by the opposing host, which would speedily withdraw in discouragement, or in the face of a determined assault." (See Ceremonial Magic.)
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the name of the fundamental code of the Jewish civil and canonical law, comprising the "Mishna" and the "Gemara," the former as the text, the later as the commentary and complement. The oldest codification of Halachoth, or single ordinances, is due to the school of Hillel. Simon, son of Gamaliel II., and great-grandson of Gamaliel I., mentioned in the New Testament, and his school carefully sifted the material thus brought together. He died A. D. 166. His son Jehudah Hannasi, commonly called Rabbi, who died 219, brought the work to and his its close in six portion treatises (Mesichtoth), and 524 chapters (Perakim), which contain the single "Mishnas." But besides this authoritatively compiled code there were a number of other law collections, partly anterior to it, and not fully embodied in it, partly arising out of it as supplements, complements, bylaws, and the like-partly portions of the ancient Midrash, partly either private text-books composed by the masters of the academies for their lectures or enlargements of the existing "Mishna." All this additional material was collected, not rarely together with the dissensions which begot it, under the name of "Baraitoth," "foreign," "external," by Chaiya and his school, in the succeeding generation. Not to be confounded with them, however, are the collections of "Toseftas," "supplements," or "Great Mishnas," which, commenced at the time of Jehudah Hannasi himself, and continued after his death by his scholar Chaiya and Hoshaiya, embody much of what has been purposely left out in the concise "Mishna," which only embraced the final dicta and decisions. Such "additions" we possess now to 52 treatises, forming together 383 Perakim or chapters. All these different sources of the "Oral Law" -finally redacted before the end of the 3d century, though probably not committed to writing till A. D. 550-belong to the period of from about 30 B. c. to about A. D. 250. The further development of this supplementary, oral, or second law-in fact rather an exegesis thereof-together with the discussions raised by apparent contradictions found in the individual enactments of the Mishnic doctors, is called "Gemara"-i. e. discussion, complement, or, according to another explanation, doctrine. This "Gemara" contains, apart from the Halacha, which is generally written in Aramaic, also a vast number of non-legal, chiefly Hebrew, fragments al, chiefly Hebrew, fragments - homiletic matter, tales, legends, and the like called Haggada. There are two "Talmuds," the one called the "Talmud of the Occidentals," or the "Jerusalem (Palestine) Talmud," which was closed at Tiberias, and the other the "Babylonian Talmud." The first of these now extends over 39 treatises of the "Mishna" only, though it once existed to the whole of the first 5 Sedarim or portions. It originated in Tiberias in the school of Johanan, who died A. D. 179. There is less discussion and more precision of expression in this than in the second or "Babylonian Talmud," emphatically styled "our Talmud," which was not completed until the end of the 5th century, and which makes use of forme "Babylonian Talmud" is to be considered Rabbi Ashe Ashe, president of the Academy of Sora in Babylonia (A. D. 375- 427). Both the "Mishna" and the Palestine "Gemara" had, notwithstanding the brief period that had elapsed since their redaction, suffered greatly, partly by corruptions that had crept into their (unwritten) text through faulty traditions, partly through the new decisions arrived at independently in the different younger schools of which there flourished many in different parts of the Dispersionand which were at times contradictory to those arrived at under different circumstances in former academies. To put an end to these disputes and the general confusion arising out of them, which threatened to end in sheer chaos, Rabbi Ashe, aided by his disciple and friend Abina or Rabina I. (abbreviated from Rab Abina), commenced the cyclopean task of collecting anew the enormous mass of Halachistic material which by that time had grown up. This took him, with the assistance of 10 secretaries, no less than 30 years; and many years were spent by him in the revision of the work. The final close of the work, however, is greatly due to Rab Abina II., head of the Sora Academy (473-499). He was the last of the Amoraim expounders, who used merely oral tradition. After them came the Saboraim, the reflecting, examining, critical, the real completers of the Babylonian Talmud, and by many in ancient and modern times declared to have first reduced "Mishna" and "Talmud" to writing. The "Babylonian Talmud," as now extant, comprises the "Gemara" to almost the whole of the 2d, 3d, and 4th Sedarim (portions), further to the first treatise of the first, and to the first of the last order. The rest, if it ever existed, seems now lost. The whole work is about four times as large as the Jerusalem one, and its 36 treatises, with the commentaries generally add added to them in our editions (Rachi and Tosafoth), fill 2,947 folio leaves. The language of the Talmud is, as we said, Aramaic (western and eastern), closely approaching to Syriac. The additional matter-quotations and fragments from older Midrash and Gemara collections, Haggada, etc. -is principally written in Hebrew. The masters of the "Mishna" (Tannaim) and of the "Gemara" (Amoriam) were followed by the Saboraim. The code of the oral law had come to a close with the second named; and not its development, but rather its proper study, elueidation, and carrying into practice was the task of the generations of the learned that followed. The Saboraim no longer dared to contradict, but only opined on the meaning and practicability of certain enactments, and undertook the task of inculcating and popularizing the teachings laid down by their sires; apart from bestowing proper care upon the purity of the text, and adding some indispensable glosses. The best commentaries of the "Mishna" are by Maimonides and Bartenora; of the "Babylonian Talmud" by Rashi and the Tosafists of France and Germany. An abstract of the Talmud for practical legal purposes by Maimonides is called "Mishne Thorah." The "Mishna" was first printed at Naples, 1492; the "Talmud of Jerusalem" at Venice, by D. Bomberg, 1523. The "Babylonian Talmud" was first published at Venice by him in 1520. It is generally printed in 12 folios, the text on the single pages being kept uniform with the previous editions to facilitate the references. No translation of the "Gemara" has ever been carried further than a few single treatises. The complete "Mishna" on the other hand has been translated repeatedly into Latin, German, Spanish, etc., by Su Surenhus, Rabe, Jost, and others. We must refrain here from attempting a general characterization of the Talmud, a work completely sui generis, which is assuredly one of the most important records of humanity.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
in Jewish literature , a compilation of traditions, laws, and precepts; also explanations of the Old Testament. According to Kitto, "The Talmud is the work which embodies the civil and canonical law of the Jewish people. It contains those rules and institutions by which, in addition to the Old Testament, the conduct of that nation is regulated. Whatever is obligatory on them, besides the law, is recorded in this work. Here doubts are resolved, duties explained, cases of conscience cleared up, and the most minute circumstances relative to the conduct of life discussed with wonderful particularity." There are two versions, the Palestinian and the Babylonian. The Hebrew rabbis still instruct their people by reading from the Talmud.