Encyclopedia Talmudit

The project began at the initiative of Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan (Berlin) (1880–1949), the son of the Netziv.

[4] The concept was first described in a 1921 lecture by Chief Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook,[5] who outlined several projects for Torah scholars, including a work "that elucidates the essence of Torah principles, organized by encyclopedic entries.

The purpose was to summarize all the Talmudic discussions and all the opinions of Rishonim and Acharonim in encyclopedia articles in alphabetical order.

In 1947 Encyclopedia Talmudit won the city prize of Tel Aviv for Torah literature to honor the memory of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook.

[8] The administrator of the encyclopedia from its founding was Rabbi Yehoshua Hutner (1910–2009), who succeeded in securing the initiative with stable financial backing, thanks to his connections with leaders of the Mizrachi movement.

Rabbi Zevin established the listing of primary and secondary articles and the system of halakhic analysis of the encyclopedia.

Encyclopedia Talmudit is also published on a computer version on a compact disc as part of the searchable Bar Ilan Responsa Project.