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Article life
editI have heard the tales about pin-thru-Talmud trick since childhood, but always as a hearsay with no names named. So having read in wikipedia that Pinchas Hirschsprung did the "pin test" I naturally decided to double-check it. I failed and I tagged the corresponding statement with citation request. Googling for "pin test" I came to the term "Shass Pollak" and subsequent googling gave a number of contradicting descriptions with apparently a singe reputable reference, the one to George Stratton, so I finally decided to go to the library and look up the original text. Hence the article.
- Notice that Stratton did not test Shass Pollak himself, so it is still a hearsay. One of the witnesses describes a case which smacks of show trick. Another witness recollects from long time ago. So I am inclined to believe that Shass Pollak is nothing but a pretty legend, but I haven't found any critical discussion or first-hand account so far. A serious reason to doubt is I find it difficult to believe for precious books allowed to be pricked with pins in order to astound goyim (or even Jews). Laudak (talk) 20:30, 9 July 2008 (UTC)
Layout of Talmud
editThe description of the layout of a page of Talmud is wrong. The text in the centre of the page consists of both Mishna and Gemara. The surrounding commentaries are of a much later date (> 1000 CE). Has anyone got access to the original source to see if Stratton made the same error? JFW | T@lk 16:49, 22 April 2009 (UTC)