By Ynet
Translated by Muqata
It is doubtful if the Amoraic scholars, Abbaye and Rava imagined their discussions of Jewish law in the Beit Midrash in Babylon would be taught hundreds of years later in East Asia.
Yet it turns out that the laws of an “egg born on yomtov” is actually very interesting to the South Koreans who encourage Talmud learning at home.”
Almost every home in South Korea now contains a Korean-translated Talmud. But unlike in Israel, the Korean mothers teach the Talmud to their children. In a country of close to 49 million people who believe in Buddhism and Christianity, there are more people who read the Talmud – or at least own their own copy at home – more than in the Jewish state. Much more.
“We were very curious about the high academic achievements of the Jewish people”, explains Korean Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Young Sam Ma, who was hosted on the channel 1 TV programme “Culture Today.”
“Jews have a high percentage of Nobel laureates in all fields: literature, science and economics. This is a remarkable achievement. We tried to understand what is the secret of the Jewish people? How they – more than other people – are able to reach those impressive accomplishments? Why are Jews so intelligent? In our opinion, one of your secrets is that you study the Talmud.”
“Jews study the Talmud at a young age, and it helps them, in our opinion, to develop mental capabilities. This understanding led us to teach our children as well. We believe that if we teach our children Talmud, they will also become geniuses. This is the rational to make Talmud a part of home education in Korea.”
Ambassador Ma says the he himself studied the Talmud at a very young age: “It is considered very significant study,” he emphasized. The result is that more Koreans have Talmud sets in their homes than Jews in Israel.
“I, for example, have two editions of Talmud: one my wife bought and the other I got from my mother-in-law (almost like the Jewish tradition of the parents of the bride buying a set of Talmud for their future son-in-law.)”
Koreans don’t only like the Talmud because they see it as promoting genius, but because they found values that are close to their hearts.
“In the Jewish tradition, family values are important,” explains the South Korean Ambassador.
“You see it even today, your practice of the Friday evening family meal. In my country we also focus on family values. The respect for adults, respect and appreciation for the elderly parallels the high esteem in my country for the elderly.”
Another very significant issue is the respect for education. In the Jewish tradition parents have a duty to teach their children, and they devote to it lots of attention. For Korean parents, their children’s education is a top priority.
(COLlive note: As a blogger pointed out, “The Talmud” in Korean that the Ambassador is referring to is actually a translation of stories from the Gemara and not the whole Shas itself)
beautiful!!!
If what I am reading is accurate, that koreans are drawn to Talmud, Jewish customs and traditions and many even keep certain mitzvos…is it possible that they are long lost cousins of ours???
The real joke is that 99% of Jewish Nobel laureates have in all likelihood never seen a page of Talmud in their lives,
The Rebbeim encouraged learning Ein Yaakov between Mincha/Maariv. The fact the a non-Jewish country sees the benefit in this is amazing. Now if we can only gets some places closer to home to do so as well!
When moshiach comes the goal of all man will be to know g-d and learn Torah !!
If you go to the Jewish chapel in Yongsan, South Korea (U.S. Army base in Seoul), you will see just how many Koreans come to daaven every shabbos in the shul.
they attend even though they’re not Jewish (though some are in the process of actual – legit – conversion); wear tzitzis and are more shomer in mitzvos than many other “frum” yidden I know.
I know this from first-hand experiences.
Are you saying the same thing is true about the Chinese?
See: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/12/29/in-china-pushing-the-talmud-as-a-business-guide.html.
The Korean owner of a store on Utica Ave. told my son that he is Jewish. (Sam’s Card and Gift Beauty Shop). He said that he is afraid however of some of the non-Jewish people on Utica Avenue knowing this.
This ‘Jewish mental ability’ (Superiority? The Gemara says that non-Jews have ‘chochmah’ but not Torah) might go back to ‘Noach’s’ son and great grandson (?) Shem and Ever.
Wow! #1 is this true?!
I just sent this article to all my relatives.
Anyway, there’s probably more ‘Ayin Yaacov’ in Korean children’s homes than in the so-called Jewish state.
its like having a nice car but no gas. as a yid we have B-H the gas to which is hashem
Better late than never
This “story” did the rounds last week, and its inherent implausibility was obvious from the start. And, sure enough, it’s been thoroughly debunked. There is no Korean translation of shas, or even of one mesechta. What this story is really about is a collection of fables from the gemoro, rather like Aesop’s fables, that was published in Korean and has become a popular children’s book. That is all.