Although Essential Figures in the Bible and Essential Figures in the Talmud were not published as a set, they complement one another nicely....The Talmud is the masterwork of rabbinic Judaism, comprised of the Mishnah a written compilation of rabbinic oral commentaries and discussions on the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and the Gemarra, a rabbinic commentary on the Mishnah. Eisenberg s handy volume brings together information on more than 250 of the more than 2,000 rabbis and scholars mentioned in the Talmud. Entries usually include passages from the Talmud that nicely introduce the wisdom of these Jewish sages in their own words. These A-Z volumes are concise and informative and are recommended for theological and research libraries as well as academic and large public libraries with extensive Judaica collections.