Author Attribution in the Bavli and Implications for Talmudic Redaction

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Abstract

This paper analyzes various forms of author attribution in the Talmud Bavli and their implications for understanding the process of Talmudic redaction. Bavli memrot (quotes) may be stated anonymously, in the name of a single author, or in the name of a chain of transmission. Authorship may be introduced with various terms, such as אמר, סבר, דרש. Additionally, alternate authorships may be proposed, primarily via the expressions ואמרי לה and ואיתימא. In the Vilna edition of the Bavli, ואיתימא occurs 289 times and is used exclusively to record alternate attributions of memrot, while ואמרי לה occurs 505 times and is used for a number of purposes including alternate attributions of memrot, alternate statements of fact, and alternate identification of persons within a statement of fact. Analysis proceeds on three fronts. First, we examine the statistical distribution of attribution and alternate attribution expressions across the Talmud and the correlations between uses of these expressions. Second, in conjunction with MATMIDAH, the database of memrot previously constructed by this author, we consider the participants in author reassignment – who are the original authors and who are the reassigned authors. Third, again utilizing MATMIDAH, we characterize the language of the reassigned memrot. These analyses reveal definite patterns and relationships which lead to insights into the process of Talmudic redaction. We also consider how other witnesses to the Bavli can be utilized in this exploration. Lastly, the paper proposes directions for future work.

Author

• Michael Sperling, New York University