A Note on Commentaries and Annotations

Here is a page from a contemporary edition of the Talmud, a central Jewish scripture.

In the center is the Babylonian Gemara, the core of the text. Surrounding it are various commentaries, such as the Rushmie and the Tosafat.

These are commentaries written by rabbis, which over time have become an integral part of the tradition. As my Hebrew sastric advisor explained it to me, over time these commentaries would always be on the bookshelf and the table when the Talmud was being read and studied, so it become logical to integrate them into the same book.

The process by which a commentary is elevated to canonical status is one of meritocracy - by being absorbed into the tradition through universal use and acceptance by the community. This is in contrast to the evolution of the Christian Bible, with its executive insertions and deletions by synodic councils.

Visit the original source page of this image for more information on the layout and the commentaries that have been incorporated over time.

Personally I feel that an organic integration of a credited commentary that starts out as a standalone and is accepted over time is a healthier dynamic for us to follow, rather than the politicized scriptural process adopted by the Christian church.

Such an organic dynamic will help keep our community together, and will also dampen unhealthy excesses.