Dr. Jastrow was a very traditional scholar for his times. One must realize that there were a lot of problems with every method of study in those days. The error with ner is one of a straight reading of the text, something that is common in the dictionary. (Nothing to do with any ‘agendas’ his only goal was to teach Torah and preserve the Jewish tradition. Rabbanim did not have side agendas in those days. People were genuine back then. Today, your non-rav has an agenda to convince the Rav that all the other Rabbis have an agenda.) Many of the confusions he refers to, took decades to clarify. the new dictionaries of today, have the same amount of errors, without the excuse of best available knowledge. The introduction to the Jastrow is just a fragment of a thorough understanding of what gemara is all about. The theories that are prevalent today, are silly and not mentioned by the Geonim. Use Jastrow he knew how to learn, unless your goal is to be an am ha’aretz.
Menu