with its laws, and interpretations of its statements form the staple of the classical schools of Judaism. The Talmud is important in Judaism because it presents that religion’s law and theology, transforming the Torah of Sinai into the how and why of everyday life. Its processes of thought shape the culture of Judaism, and its propositions, its legal and theological program. But why does the Talmud command a hearing beyond the limits of the boundaries of Judaism? It is because it records the working