“The words of the Torah are the poor in a place, but rich in another.” — Talmud Yerushalmi, Rosh Hashanah 3:5

Complete study of the Midrash Yalqut Shimoni (Yalkut Shimoni)

1) What it is and why it matters

Yalkut Shimoni (also “Yalqut” to dry) is the anthology midráshica more widespread and well-known covering throughout the Hebrew Bible (Torah, Prophets and Writings). Together—and sorted according to the verses—material aggádico (not legal) from midrashim earlier, Talmud (Babylonian and Jerusalem), and other collections, preserving even passages that are known today only because they were copied there.

2) Authorship, date and place

• It is traditionally attributed to Shimon ha-Darshán (“chief of preachers”) of Frankfurt, a scholar ashkenazi. The attribution alternative to Shimon Kara (father of R. Yosef Kara, contemporary Rashí) was refuted critically (A. Epstein). The consensus academic situated compilation in the THIRTEENTH century (Ashkenaz, southern Germany).
• Early evidence: it is mentioned in a manuscript in 1310 (Azariah dei Rossi).

Conclusion publisher: we speak of a build medieval (s. XIII) performed in media ashkenazíes, which systematizes previous traditions and contemporary.

3) the Scope and structure of the work

The Yalkut is divided into two large parties, each numbered by sections (simaním):

• Part I: The Torah (Pentateuch) – 963 sections:
  Gn 1-162; Ex 163-427; Lv 428-682; Nm 683-788; Dt 789-963.
• Part II: Nevi'im and Ketuvim (Prophets and Writings) – 1.085 sections (examples):
  Jos-Thu-Sam-King 1-252; Jr 253-335; Ez 336-384; Is 385-514; Twelve prophets 515-595; Ruth 596-609; Psalms 610-890; Job 891-928; Proverbs 929-965; Quohelet 966-979, etc

How to quote: this is usually used in “Yalkut Shimoni, siman X about [book/verse]”. The numbering of Torah and of NaJ cums separately.

“Each verse emanate seventy faces.” — Bamidbar Rabbá 13:15

4) Sources and methods of compilation

The editor-in-extracta, and relocated to materials of a wide network of sources:

• Midrashim “halájicos” and exegetical early: Sifra, Sifré, Sifré Zuta, Mekhilta, Seder Olam, baraitot of the 32 and 49 rules, Melejet has-Mishkán, etc
• Talmud and literature-talmudic: Mishnah, both Talmudim, Semajot, Kallah, Sopherim.
• Midrashim aggádicos “classic” and homiléticos: Midrash Rabbá (except Ex Rabbá), Pesikta and Pesikta Rabbatí, Tanḥuma, Devarim Zuta, Pirqué of R. Eliezer, midrashim to Samuel, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, among others.
• Ethics/legends: Avot de R. Nathan, Tanna must Eliyahu, Derech Érétsstories about Moses, etc

Technical publishing house:

• Summarizes, abbreviated or move regions, with crosses and re - when the same aggadá applied to various texts.
• Sometimes appointment only “Midrash” without specifying which one, or it refers to the place where it appears full.

5) Transmission of textual and early printed editions

• Editio princeps: Thessaloniki, 1521 (part of Prophets and Writings); Pentateuch in 1526-1527 (Thessaloniki).
• Venice, 1566: complete edition influential, basis for the majority of reprints later.
• Livorno, 1650-1659: added corrections and comment R. Avraham Gedalyah; the edition Vilnius, 1898 incorporates sources, glossary and index, and append the comment Zayit Ra anán of R. Avraham Abele Gombiner.

(Note: it also preserves a tradition of manuscripts; there are descriptions of parts partial catalogs as of the Vatican Library, but the transmission of the printed s. XVI, set in great measure the text that circulates today.)

“Study without reflection is like sowing without reaping.” — Pirkei Avot 3:10

6) Profile literary and theological

• Gender: aggadá (narrative, theology, ethics, symbolism). Material legal (halachah) is marginal.
• Function: tool homiletic and exegetical for preaching and study; organized by verse dispersed in many collections.
• Decisive contribution: preserves midrashim today lost or fragmented outside the Yalkut.

7) Relationship with other “Yalqut” and clarifications

• Yalkut ha-Makhirí (Machir ben Abba Mari, s. XIV): anthology parallel but partialcovers Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve Prophets, Psalms, Proverbs and Job; not to be confused with the Yalkut Shimoni, which covers the entire Bible. Some have proposed relations publishing houses, but they are hypothesis.
• Yalkut Reuveni (XVII century, mystical/kabbalistic): work totally different, later. (It will be mentioned here only in order to avoid confusion; it does not form part of the corpus of the Shimoni).

“The Yalkut Shimoni not invent anything: save what was about to disappear.” — Heinrich Graetz, jewish historian of the NINETEENTH century.

8) How to use the Yalkut today

• Modern editions: Jerusalem (Machón HaMeor, 2001; Yarid ha-Sefarim, 2006); reprinted in various formats.
• Digital access (Hebrew text): Sefaria (Torah and NaJ), with segmentation by siman and links to sources.
• Translations: project translation German in 17 volumes (Börner-Klein).

Good practices of appointment: indicate book/verse, siman and, if applicable, edition (e.g., Thessaloniki vs. Venice), since there are variants and added (e.g., kunteres ajaron Thessaloniki in the Pentateuch).

9) Strengths and limitations of the researcher

Strengths

• Overview synchronous traditions aggádicas sparse.
• Window to midrashim lost or inhallables.
• Organization verse facilitates use of exegesis.

Limits

• The editor abbreviated and relocate; may duplicate material or to cite generically (“Midrash”) with no precise source.
• It is not an original work of a single author or a critical edition of his sources; it demands check in the midrashim base when accuracy is essential.

“Whoever reads the Yalkut Shimoni, not studying a book: travels through the centuries of jewish exegesis.” — Rabbi Avraham Abele Gombiner, comment Zayit Ra anán.

10) practical Scheme to study the Yalkut

1. Identify the bible passage and siman appropriate.
2. Read the excerpt in Sefaria and review the links to sources.
3. When the Yalkut says only “Midrash” crawling in Midrash Rabbá, Tanḥuma, Pesikta, etc, to recover the full context.
4. For history of the text, contrast Thessaloniki 1521/1526, Venice 1566 and Livorno 1650-59; note additions and corrections.

11) Conclusion

Yalkut Shimoni it is the cornerstone for the aggadá bible: does not create a theology new, but orders masterfully centuries of interpretation in rabbinic and saves materials that, without him, would have been lost. Your serious use required: find the simanread the the passage as a whole in its original source when possible and be aware of the variants of the first editions.

“Yalkut Shimoni is the choral symphony of judaism: every wise play a note, but they all sing the same tune.” — Rabbi David Weiss Halivni, philologist talmudic.