Torah database: Encyclopedia II - Torah database - Digital Text Software Packages

Torah database - Digital Text Software Packages

Torah database - The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project

The very first such database was the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project, which began in 1963 at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, migrated to Bar-Ilan University soon thereafter, and was up and running by 1967. It became available in time-sharing mode from university terminals in 1979, was transferred to CD-ROM in 1990, and version 1.0 was offered for sale to the public in 1992. The current version is number 13 or 13+ (the "plus" version contains an important secondary reference called the Talmudic Encyclopedia). [1] [2]

The Responsa Project tries to base its electronic texts on the most accurate printed editions (though it seems that it is sometimes prevented from doing so because of copyright considerations), and it has a reputation for relatively error-free electronic texts based upon those editions. It also features approximately 360,000 hypertext links between the various collections within the database, as well as a topical halakhic index for the Shulhan Arukh and selected responsa. Since its early years it has employed a sophisticated search-engine specifically designed for Hebrew language texts.

In recent years, the Responsa Project has made updates available once a year, between the Passover and Shavuot holidays.

Torah database - DBS Master Library

DBS rivals the Bar-Ilan Responsa project in size. It has less in the overall area of Halakha and hardly any responsa, but it includes far more in the following areas: Jewish philosophy, Kabbalah, Hasidut, biblical commentaries, and late halakhic works. The major subcollections within DBS are also sold individually.

DBS contains a good number of Hebrew texts with vowels (niqqud); see below. Criticisms: It does not have extensive hypertext links between its various large collections, and it has also been criticized for poor proofreading and error-laden texts.

Torah database - The Torah Bookshelf Halamish

Otzar ha-Poskim (also see below) produces "The Torah Bookshelf," a large digital collection of basic texts called "Halamish" (Ha-Sifriyah ha-Toranit) in Hebrew, currently in version 3.0.

Torah database - Ariel

Ariel (currently version 2.1) uses the same software as Otzar Haposkim’s "Torah Bookshelf" and is similar to it in scope (a large basic collection), but many of the titles in the two collections are not the same.

Torah database - Judaic Bookshelf

Also a very large collection.

Torah database - Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer

Bar-Ilan University's project to produce an entirely new critical edition of the Mikra'ot Gedolot is also being made available not only in printed volumes,[3] but also in electronic form. The project contains four main elements:

• The biblical text (based on the Aleppo codex and a careful reconstruction of its missing parts) is keyed-in, including vowels and cantillation signs, allowing for sophisticated research on details of grammar.
• The mesorah is also keyed in (also based on the Aleppo codex and supplemented by a special commentary.
• The Targum is included with vowels, based on the Yemenite Taj.
• The biblical commentaries are also keyed-in as fresh new critical editions, including textual variants from manuscripts.

The CD-ROM is currently in version 2.0 (beta).

(Note: Although also under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University, this project is unrelated to the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project.)

Torah database - Digital Hebrew Texts with Vowels Niqqud

Tanakh is available as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels (niqqud) in all of the above software packages.

The Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer package includes not only the vowels, but also cantillation signs. Tanakh with both vowels and cantillation is also available as online freeware from Mechon Mamre (see below). Both versions are based on the Aleppo codex, but Mechon Mamre's edition is based on the editing method of Rabbi Mordecai Breuer, which differs slightly from the Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer edition in some small details.

Both Targum Onkelos on the Torah and Targum Jonathan on Nevi'im are vowelized (based on Yemenite manuscripts) in the digital texts of Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer. Targum Onkelos is vowelized in the Judaic Bookshelf package.

The Mishnah is included as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels in all of the general software packages above except for the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project. The vowels in the "Halamish" package seem to be based upon the Albeck edition of the Mishnah (see Mishnah).

Siddur: Digital siddurim with vowels (according to various customs) are included in DBS (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah), Judaic Bookshelf (Ashkenaz, Sefard), and Ariel (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah). The latest version of DBS (version 10) also includes mahzorim, selihot, and the Passover Haggadah.

Popular ethical works are normally vowelized in published editions. DBS's collection of such works includes vowels in the electronic editions.

Some of these are also vowelized in DBS.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Digital Text Software Packages", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki