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When I mention learning Talmud around progressive Jews, it's not uncommon for someone to ask, "Isn't Talmud about all that Jewish law stuff?" Most are surprised when I answer "No...not exactly."
Much like the written Torah with its stories and laws, the Talmud is comprised of both rabbinic stories (aggadah) and rabbinic legal debates (halakhah), but it's neither a storybook nor a law code. While Talmud is the source for all the Jewish law codes, including the ones foundational to today's halakhic Jewish movements, the Talmud itself isn't a law code.
Personally, I don't believe the rabbis whose debates are recorded in the Talmud had creating a law code as their primary goal.
The Talmud, the written record of the 'oral Torah'—the traditional understanding of how to practically observe the written Torah, originally transmitted orally—was completed 500 years before the first formal law code, Sefer HaHalachot, and nearly 1000 before the Shulchan Aruch, the law code that forms the core of modern halakhic Judaism. If the Talmud's primary purpose was as a law code, why such a huge gap?
In ancient Israel, the Temple with it's sacrifices, rules and rituals provided a 'right way' for the Jewish community to do Judaism. Both exile—Diaspora—and the Temple's eventual destruction in 70 CE made that 'right way' impossible to observe.
Talmud is, among other things, about rabbis debating and creating new ways to do Judaism in changing times.
Much of the Jewish world studies Talmud through the lens of the law codes, tracing the development of modern Jewish observance through the Talmud's discussions and stories regarding observance. For many, this observance has replaced the Temple as the 'right way' to do Judaism.This is a valid way to view and study Talmud, however, it's not the only valid way to study Talmud.
I believe the rabbinic discussions, stories and laws in Talmud were memorized and recorded with a deeper purpose than creating a code, or a uniform version of Judaism.
I believe the Talmudic goal of the rabbis was, at its core, to create and transmit widely a set of communal values and beliefs that would unite the people whether in Israel or the Diaspora, whether in freedom or under the rule of others, whether religiously educated or simply doing what they knew.
There are many ways to effectively transmit values and no single way will work for everyone. Think of how we transmit our values to our children: fairy tales and storybooks, age-aporopriate chores, formal education, and family stories all transmit the values, beliefs and skills needed for children to become contributing adult members of the family; continuing it for another generation.
So too, the rabbis used many different vehicles to transmit the values, skills and beliefs the Jewish people would need to continue from generation to generation.
Rabbinic stories, whether told as real life or tall tales, are easy to remember, share and adapt to new generations. Rabbinic laws created a common set of practices and skills that would preserve a unique Jewish identity and belief system even very far away from the land of Israel. No matter where we are, we all light Shabbat candles, join in prayer, learn Torah and observe the Festivals in similar and recognizable ways thanks to the framework of these rabbinic rules that unite us. However, the Talmud also includes many rejected views and unresolved debates. Why?
All of these things: each story, law, alternative point of view and unresolved debate has a value at its core. These values are still powerful enough to unite and sustain us through changing times, providing wisdom for individuals and to connect and strengthen our communities.
Learning Talmud by looking for these shared Jewish values is another valid way to study the texts. Even if you have no interest in learning to do a particular ritual 'the right way' you can draw wisdom and strength from discovering the Jewish value(s) it's there to trsnsmit. You may even decide some of the rituals have meaning for you and enhance that Jewish value you've learned. You can add those to your Jewish life while simply adopting the values from other passages.
When we look at Talmud this way, as a vehicle for values that build community, we can see Talmud as a progressive Jewish text. This text is our heritage as much as it's the heritage of the traditional, Orthodox community.
Talmud isn't a closed text, it's an ongoing conversation, and we've left our voices out for too long. For Talmud's texts to have a voice in each generation people need to come together, learn them and give them that voice. The only way a progressive view of Talmud gets a voice is if we give it one. Are you ready to be Talmud's voice in this generation?
I'm grateful to Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Lauren Holtzblatt and Patrick Beaulier, who in different ways helped me discover and express this perspective on Talmud.
