conversations.from: human
conversations.value: a description for a book titled A Beginner's Guide to the Steinsaltz Talmud about Publication, Maqom, Talmud with the genre: Religion & Spirituality, Judaism
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conversations.value: the author has published many books 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).
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conversations.value: the first two paragraphs for this book
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:
  The stories we read in the Yerushalmi and the Bavli regarding Rabbi Eliezer's excommunication are dramatic ones-so dramatic, in fact, that they inspired Rabbi Steinsaltz to write his own version of the events as reported in the Bavli. He puts himself, and you, right into the action. (As an exercise, you can imagine writing a similar version of Rabbi Eliezer's story based on the Yerushalmi.) This is another example of a commentary on an often told tale that addresses many inspiring and important issues.
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conversations.value: four more paragraphs
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conversations.value: Even Rabban Gamaliel showed extreme displeasure at this subversive attack on himself as well as on the School of Hillel; and Rabbi Yehoshua, who almost never was upset by anyone or anything, was provoked to bursting point. Rabbi Tarfon, whom we would expect to ease the tension with a quip or jest, seemed to have curled up in himself as though personally insulted. There was a strong feeling in the Bet Midrash that what had been uttered should not have been and could not have been said.
  When the sages of the house finally rose up to speak, we heard much that was memorable and rare. Several of the speakers expounded not only on halachah matters but also on the way each one understood the halachah. Rabbi Tarfon, for instance, rose up finally and spoke eloquently. A stirring talk was delivered by the young Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, whom we already recognized as one of the great minds of the generation, even though his beard was hardly grown.
  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.
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conversations.value: the last five paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: When Rabban Gamaliel spoke, we were back in the customary Bet Midrash atmosphere as I said, even though it could never again be the same. Nevertheless, the usual tone of Rabban Gamaliel helped us to feel right, as he said, "Members of the Assembly, since we have decided that this oven is impure, its bread is hereby declared unclean, for it was not prepared in accordance with the laws of purity, and so the attendants will gather all the loaves and burn them in the compound next to the Bet Midrash."
  The attendants gathered up the loaves of bread and took them outside. The Galilean inventor of the oven disappeared, but no one saw him take his departure. A few of the younger pupils went out to gather wood to burn the loaves of bread. We had witnessed enough such halachic proscriptions-on cakes of meal and offerings, and the subsequent burning in the compound-so that there was no reason this should be as different and strange as it seemed to us. Perhaps the whole ordinariness of the world had changed: the attendant carrying the loaves, the pupils preparing the fire, and the fire itself. Smoke began to rise. It was already dark when we heard Rabbi Eliezer give vent to his anger. His anger was full of a terrible bitterness, an abysmal humiliation.
  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. His anger was full of a terrible bitterness, an abysmal humiliation. It was already dark when we heard Rabbi Eliezer give vent to his anger. Smoke began to rise. Perhaps the whole ordinariness of the world had changed: the attendant carrying the loaves, the pupils preparing the fire, and the fire itself. We had witnessed enough such halachic proscriptions-on cakes of meal and offerings, and the subsequent burning in the compound-so that there was no reason this should be as different and strange as it seemed to us. A few of the younger pupils went out to gather wood to burn the loaves of bread. The Galilean inventor of the oven disappeared, but no one saw him take his departure."
  The attendants gathered up the loaves of bread and took them outside. Nevertheless, the usual tone of Rabban Gamaliel helped us to feel right, as he said, "Members of the Assembly, since we have decided that this oven is impure, its bread is hereby declared unclean, for it was not prepared in accordance with the laws of purity, and so the attendants will gather all the loaves and burn them in the compound next to the Bet Midrash.When Rabban Gamaliel spoke, we were back in the customary Bet Midrash atmosphere as I said, even though it could never again be the same