Our Most Pressing Need is the Critical Edition: J. N. Epstein and the Rise of Talmudic Philology

This article explores J. N. Epstein’s call for a critical edition of the Mishnah, delivered in his 1925 inaugural lecture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Framing textual criticism as a national imperative, Epstein envisioned “Talmudic Philology” as foundational to the rebirth of Jewish life in the Land of Israel. By examining Epstein’s early academic trajectory, his role in Berlin’s circles of Jewish intellectuals and scholars, and his collaborations with Hayim Nahman Bialik, the article reveals how Zionist ideology increasingly shaped his philological goals. Special attention is given to the conception of the Mishnah as a national text and to Epstein’s understanding of it as having had a written Urtext, recoverable through critical methods. The study situates Epstein at the intersection of nationalism and philology, showing how his work responded to Christian scholarly challenges and aimed to build a Hebrew-language academic tradition rooted in the perceived needs of the Jewish people.