Next week the students of the Daf Yomi will commence the study of tractate Ketubbot.
The large tractate deals not only with many Talmudic laws, but also discusses a large number of Talmudic principles. It has become known in the Torah world as Talmud Katan— “the little Talmud,” for one who masters this tractate has familiarized himself with many aspects of Shas.
When did the appellation “Talmud Katan” with regard to tractate Ketubbot come into being?
It is found on the title page of the first edition of the Shitah Mekubetzzet on that tractate, printed in Constantinople in 5408 (1797-1738). The title reads in English translation: Sefer Assefat Zekenim… Book of assembly (of the writings) of the elders; novellae on the tractate Ketubbot, which is by-named Talmud Katan (“little Talmud”), collected from manuscripts by the Gaon R. Betzalel Ashkenazi. He called it Shitah Mekubetzet.”
This title continued to appear in several subsequent editions of the work. In later printings the reference to Talmud Katan was dropped.
The first edition of the Shitah Mekubbetzet on Ketubbot was printed by Yona ben Yaakov Ashkenazi of Zalosce (Lvov region), who was for many years active as a printer in Turkey.
In 1721, during a temporary stay in Amsterdam, he printed in that city the Shita Mekubbetzet on Bava Metzia from a manuscript he had brought along from Turkey. In his introduction to the book he states that he has in his possession a manuscript of the Shita Mekubetzet on Ketubbot, mentioning that this tractate is by-named Talmud Katan.
The appellation “Talmud Katan” is found in a still earlier document.
Seven years ago, the rabbinical periodical Moriah (vol. 14, numbers 5-8) published a letter written from Jerusalem by Rabbi Aryeh Yehudah Leib Katz, a son of Rabbi Efrayim Hakohen, author of Shaar Efrayim, to Rabbi David Oppenheim, who was rabbi of Nikolsburg and later of Prague and other places. In his letter Rabbi Katz informs Rabbi Oppenheim that he is sending him as a present a manuscript of the novellae of the Ramban on tractate Ketubbot “which one calls here Talmud Katan.”
The letter , which was written in the year 5459– i.e. 22 years before the printing of the Shitah Mekubetzet on Bava Metzia in whose introduction the appellation appears – is perhaps the earliest known source for Ketubbot’s by-name Talmud Katan.
On the occasion of the study of tractate Ketubbot by the Daf Yomi, Moznaim Publishers have put out an improved edition of this tractate, designed to be of help to the student.
Rashi’s commentary was completely reset. Printing errors were corrected and the initial words were printed in bold, square characters.
Explanations of Rashi’s La’azim were added in the margins.
The most important innovation is the addition in the margins of Mussaf Rashi which supplements Rashi’s comments on our Gemara by citing Rashi’s explanantions and interpretations in other places.
Mussaf Rashi was compiled by Rabbi Meir David Ben Shem, a well known Jerusalem Torah scholar, a member of the editorial board of the Talmudic Encyclopedia and the author of excellent books including Mussaf Rashi on Tanach.
The Jewish Press, Friday, Oct. 23, 1992 p. 22