conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me a description for a story titled A Beginner's Guide to the Steinsaltz Talmud about Publication, Maqom, Talmud with the genre: Religion & Spirituality, Judaism.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: the author has published many storys on rabbinic literature, including Judaism and Disability: Portrayals in Ancient Texts from the Tanach through the Bavli , which was the recipient of the Koret Jewish Studies Publication Program Publication Subsidy for 1998. She is the founder and director of Maqom: A School for Adult Talmud Study, where anyone can learn Talmud, regardless of their background. Maqom study materials are available on the Internet (http://www.compassnet.com/~maqom).
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me the first paragraph for this story.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A Beginner's Guide to the Steinsaltz Talmud
  The most noticeable differences are to be found in the letters , ,  and. Certain letters in Rashi script are quite similar to one another, and it is therefore important to distinguish between them in order to avoid confusion:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me two more paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Some of the addresses were drawn out, others were brief, but all of them without exception insisted that it was impossible, it was forbidden, to think of the Torah as not being alive and as not being connected with the ongoing existence of the world. Torah could not be considered by itself, separate from the world, as though what it had to say did not relate to, and guide, the course of events.
  In a variety of ways it was mentioned that Rabbi Eliezer's approach could have been correct in a vastly different world. One of the speakers said that at the End of Days, long after the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, it might perhaps be possible to adopt such an approach.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Reverse the sentences.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: One of the speakers said that at the End of Days, long after the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, it might perhaps be possible to adopt such an approach..
  In a variety of ways it was mentioned that Rabbi Eliezer's approach could have been correct in a vastly different world. Torah could not be considered by itself, separate from the world, as though what it had to say did not relate to, and guide, the course of events.Some of the addresses were drawn out, others were brief, but all of them without exception insisted that it was impossible, it was forbidden, to think of the Torah as not being alive and as not being connected with the ongoing existence of the world
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me the last three paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "There is the precedent of Akabia ben Mahalalel." We all knew about this Akabia, a great mind, one of the outstanding men of his generation, who had defied the decision of the majority, with the result that he was excommunicated. Indeed, many years had passed since any of the great sages had been excommunicated; there were other ways of keeping them in line. But now, precisely because of the prestigiousness of Rabbi Eliezer, the hint was clear.
  No one offered to say anything. Everyone waited for one of the sages to express it more explicitly. The old men, who had spoken so glibly a while ago, were now silent, and even those in the first row waited for someone else to speak up. All eyes were gradually focused on Rabbi Yehoshua-Rabbi Yehoshua of the kindly disposition, the one who was the close friend of Rabbi Eliezer from their difficult years at school together. There was a long pause. At last he stood up and said it:
  Once the word was uttered, it was clear that it would be so. There was no more desire to discuss the matter. And Rabban Gamaliel, unable now to hide the extremity of his emotion, was obviously torn; he had to force himself to remain calm. It was, however, in a clear and firm voice, hiding all his personal feelings (as befits a leader of Israel), that he called out, "Stand and be counted!"
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Reverse the sentences.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: It was, however, in a clear and firm voice, hiding all his personal feelings (as befits a leader of Israel), that he called out, "Stand and be counted!". And Rabban Gamaliel, unable now to hide the extremity of his emotion, was obviously torn; he had to force himself to remain calm. There was no more desire to discuss the matter. At last he stood up and said it:
  Once the word was uttered, it was clear that it would be so. There was a long pause. All eyes were gradually focused on Rabbi Yehoshua-Rabbi Yehoshua of the kindly disposition, the one who was the close friend of Rabbi Eliezer from their difficult years at school together. The old men, who had spoken so glibly a while ago, were now silent, and even those in the first row waited for someone else to speak up. Everyone waited for one of the sages to express it more explicitly.
  No one offered to say anything. But now, precisely because of the prestigiousness of Rabbi Eliezer, the hint was clear. Indeed, many years had passed since any of the great sages had been excommunicated; there were other ways of keeping them in line." We all knew about this Akabia, a great mind, one of the outstanding men of his generation, who had defied the decision of the majority, with the result that he was excommunicated.Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "There is the precedent of Akabia ben Mahalalel