Wojciech Kosior

In this paper, I explain the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of the annotation system of the literary features used in the Talmudic database developed within the Elyonim veTachtonim project. In the first section, I recapitulate the theses concerning the production of the Babylonian Talmud and operationalise the formal indicators (i.e., language and attribution) of its specific layers. In the second section, I review the scholarship on the Talmudic genres and propose a categorisation that adheres to the cross-cultural framework of the Elyonim veTachtonim project. In the final section, I offer an illustration: a qualitative scrutiny of a fragment from Berakhot 62a and a quantitative-qualitative analysis of the data gathered from the Talmudic inventory.

This paper presents the background, ambitions and the initial achievements of the Elyonim veTachtonim research project aimed at constructing an electronic database of accounts involving angels, demons and ghosts in early rabbinic literature. The first part summarises the history and transformations of the project together with its principles, textual range and purposes. It scrutinises the methodology behind the study by presenting a broader context including the cognitive theory of religion, formal analysis of myth and cognitive and statistic linguistics. The second part contains the technical analysis of the data mining process and provides a user’s manual. The third part furnishes some early findings and observations based on both the qualitative and quantitative evidence gathered in the database: the domination of the pragmatic orientation, the correlation of particular entities and specific genres and the overwhelmingly negative attitude of demons towards humans. Finally, the fourth part points out the most important improvements which need to be made to the existing database and outlines some directions for development and possible applications.

Tractate Gittin 68a–b contains a unique rabbinic story about the adventures of king Solomon and demon Asmodeus. The king wishes to build the Jerusalem temple, but in order to do so he needs the support of the demon. The latter helps the king, but the price Solomon has to pay afterwards turns out to be very high and for the rest of his days the king sleeps surrounded by his armed guard in fear of the return of Asmodeus. Despite the complexity and richness of this tale, it has not yet been translated into Polish. What is more, due to the vividness of its protagonists it can exemplify the nuances of the world of the supernatural entities. The present study has therefore two main purposes: (1) the presentation of the Polish translation of the story of Solomon and Asmodeus present in Gittin 68a–b; and (2) the analysis of the said story using the categories of the Elyonim veTachtonim project, which aims at the creation of a complete database of the supernatural entities in the early rabbinic literature.

This paper has two main purposes: to outline the methodology underlying the tag ontology utilised in the Elyonim veTachtonim inventory and to demonstrate the system of topic tags used to designate recurring subjects recognised in the accounts involving supernatural entities.

* This paper was written as a part of the project The Supernatural Entities and Their Relationships with Humans according to the Babylonian Talmud from the Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives financed by the National Science Centre, Poland (SONATA 14; Registration number: 2018/31/D/HS1/00513).

Although the apotropaic qualities of tefillin have been generally recognised, there is one additional aspect that needs some further attention. The main purpose of this paper is therefore to present the connection between tefillin and Deuteronomy 28:10 that is drawn in the early Rabbinic literature. The said verse reads: “and all the nations of the land will see that the name of Yahveh is called upon you and will be afraid of you” and in itself bears the meaning of distinction, provision and protection. Yet, despite this verse’s interpretative potential, it is referred to just eleven times in the scope of both Talmuds and Midrash R. Seven of these references are clustered in the Babylonian Talmud: one (Berakhot 56a) interprets the passage as a metaphor of fame, whereas the remaining six (Berakhot 6a, 57a; Megillah 16b; Sotah 17a; Menahot 35b; Hullin 89a) explicitly state that the words “the name of Yahveh is called upon you” refer to head-tefillin. Meanwhile, the other four mentions (Exodus R. 15:6, 17; Deuteronomy R. 1:25; JT Berakhot 5:1 37b–38a) portray Israel as an earthly representative of Yahveh respected and feared by the heathens, despite the military supremacy of the latter. This indirect connection between tefillin and the idea of godly provision is supported by BT Menahot 36b and Mekhilta de-rabbi Ishmael to Exodus 12:23, 14:29, which explain the power of tefillin as stemming from the sacred names contained therein. This explanation fits the broader context of the apotropaic power of divine appellations.