Editing Torah database (section)

==Digital Text Software Packages==

===The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project===
The very first such database was the [[Bar Ilan Responsa Project]], which began in 1963 at the [[Weizmann Institute]] in Israel, migrated to [[Bar-Ilan University]] soon thereafter, and was up and running by 1967.  It became available in time-sharing mode from university terminals in 1979, was transferred to [[CD-ROM]] in 1990 and in the mid 2000s to [[flash drive]], and version 1.0 was offered for sale to the public in 1992.  The current version is number 32 or 32+ (the "plus" version contains an important secondary reference called the [[Encyclopedia Talmudit]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biu.ac.il/jh/Responsa/history.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526203414/http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Responsa/history.htm |archive-date=2006-05-26 |title=Judaic Responsa - Bar-Ilan University Responsa Global Jewish Database}}</ref>

The Responsa Project tries to base its electronic texts on the most accurate printed editions (though it seems that it is sometimes prevented from doing so because of copyright considerations), and it has a reputation for relatively error-free electronic texts based upon those editions.  It also features approximately 360,000 hypertext links between the various collections within the database, as well as a topical halakhic index for the [[Shulchan Aruch]] and selected responsa.  Since its early years it has employed a sophisticated search-engine specifically designed for Hebrew language texts.

In recent years (at least since version 10 in 2002), the Responsa Project has made updates available once a year, usually between the [[Passover]] and [[Shavuot]] holidays, although this varies considerably.  Sometimes they release an update after the holiday of [[Chanukah]] or after the holiday of [[Purim]]. It depends on how much they have completed.

In January, 2007, the responsa project became available in an online edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.responsa.co.il/|title=Online Responsa Project - vast Jewish sources|website=www.responsa.co.il}}</ref>

In April, 2007 the Responsa Project won the [[Israel Prize]] for Jewish studies.

Currently (as of 2024, version 32+) according to their list the number of seforim listed <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.responsa.co.il/books/books.en-US.html|title = List of Databases}}</ref> is over 1,000 (excluding the Chazon Ish which is only available for searching).  The Kabbalah section includes only the Zohar, and a few works listed under Otzar HaMidrashim.  However, the other sections contain many essential and important seforim.

===DBS Master Library===
DBS rivals the Bar-Ilan Responsa project in size.  It has less in the overall area of [[Halakha]] and fewer [[responsa]], but rivals Bar Ilan's Reponsa project in: Jewish philosophy and Mussar.  To date, the latest Bar Ilan and the latest DBS versions are comparable mostly, in terms of number of texts in these areas.  Bar Ilan surpasses DBS in the commentaries on [[Talmud Bavli]], the Reponsa, commentaries on the [[Mishneh Torah]] etc.  DBS surpasses Bar Ilan in the area of [[Hasidic philosophy|Hasidut]] and [[Kabbalah]]. In recent years, Bar Ilan has included a great number of texts that considered to be mostly accurate, and mostly error free and has become the gold standard of any Torah database.  DBS has lagged behind, although its Kabbalah section is fantastic, it is not clear which texts were used as well as their accuracy and whether the text presented is accurate.

DBS contains a good number of Hebrew texts with vowels ([[niqqud]]); see [[Torah database#Digital Hebrew Texts with Vowels (Niqqud)|below]].  Criticisms: It does not have extensive [[hypertext]] links between its various large collections, the texts are considered to be inaccurate and may have some errors in them.  It is not as comprehensive in many areas, compared with Bar Ilan.

=== Soncino Classics Collection ===

Produced by [[Davka|Davka corporation]], Soncino Classics Collection<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.davka.com/cgi-bin/product.cgi?product=35 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010526125824/http://www.davka.com/cgi-bin/product.cgi?product=35 |archive-date=2001-05-26 |title=Soncino Classics Collection}}</ref> includes
# [[Soncino Press|Soncino]] English translations of the Tanach, Babylonian Talmud, Midrash Rabbah, and Zohar;
# Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the Tanach, Babylonian Talmud, Midrash Rabbah and Zohar, as well as Rashi's commentary on Talmud.

Soncino Classics Collection is a commercial software.

===The Torah Bookshelf ("Halamish")===
''Otzar ha-Poskim'' (also see [[Torah database#Otzar ha-Shut|below]]) produces "The Torah Bookshelf," a large digital collection of basic texts called "Halamish" (Ha-Sifriyah ha-Toranit) in Hebrew, currently in version 3.0.

===Ariel===
Ariel (currently version 2.1) uses the same software as Otzar ha-Poskim's "Torah Bookshelf" and is similar to it in scope (a large basic collection), but many of the titles in the two collections are not the same.

===Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer===
[[Bar-Ilan University]]'s project to produce an entirely new critical edition of the [[Mikra'ot Gedolot]] is also being made available in electronic form<ref>[https://www.mgketer.org Mikraot Gedolot Heketer online].</ref> in addition to the printed volumes,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.biupress.co.il/index.php?dir=site&page=catalog&op=category&cs=5286&language=eng |title=Mikraot Gedolot Haketer}}</ref>  The project contains four main elements:
*The biblical text (based on the [[Aleppo codex]] and a careful reconstruction of its missing parts) is keyed-in, including vowels and [[Hebrew cantillation|cantillation]] signs, allowing for sophisticated research on details of grammar.
*The [[Masoretic Text|masorah]] is also keyed in (also based on the [[Aleppo codex]] and supplemented by a special commentary).
*The [[Targum]] is included with vowels, based on manuscripts of the Yemenite ''Taj''.
*The biblical commentaries are also keyed-in as fresh new editions based on manuscripts.

The CD-ROM is currently in version 2.0 (beta).

''(Note: Although also under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University, this project is unrelated to the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project.)''

===Digital Hebrew Texts with Vowels (Niqqud)===

====Tanakh====
[[Tanakh]] is available as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels ([[niqqud]]) in ''all'' of the above software packages.

Tanakh with both vowels and [[Hebrew cantillation|cantillation]] signs is available in the Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer package and as online freeware from Mechon Mamre, Hebrew Wikisource and Base HaSefer (see the latter three below).  All of these versions are based on the [[Aleppo codex]], but Mechon Mamre's edition is based on the editing method of Rabbi Mordecai Breuer, which differs slightly from the Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer edition in some small details. Hebrew Wikisource is similar to both of these versions (see a [https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/משתמש:Dovi/מקרא_על_פי_המסורה/מידע_על_מהדורה_זו full description]) and the text at Base HaSefer is based on that of Hebrew Wikisource.

====Targum====
Both [[Targum Onkelos]] on the [[Torah]] and [[Targum Jonathan]] on [[Nevi'im]] are vowelized (based on Yemenite manuscripts) in the digital texts of Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer.  [[Targum Onkelos]] is vowelized in the Judaic Bookshelf package and as online freeware from Mechon Mamre, Hebrew Wikisource, Al Hatorah and Base HaSefer; most of these edition are taken from the first edition of the Taj.

====Mishnah====
The Mishnah is included as a keyed-in digital Hebrew text with vowels in all of the general software packages above. The vowels in the "Halamish" package seem to be based upon the Albeck edition of the Mishnah (see [[Mishnah#Oral traditions and pronunciation|Mishnah]]).

====Siddur and liturgy====
[[Siddur]]: Digital {{transliteration|he|siddurim}} with vowels (according to various customs) are included in DBS (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah), Judaic Bookshelf (Ashkenaz, Sefard), and Ariel (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefaradi/Edot Mizrah).  The latest version of DBS (version 10) also includes {{transliteration|he|mahzorim}}, {{transliteration|he|selihot}}, and the Passover {{transliteration|he|[[haggadah]]}}.

Al Hatorah includes a siddur and a haggadah with many commentaries, but it is less useful as a siddur to use for prayers.

====Popular ethical works (musar)====
Popular ethical works are normally vowelized in published editions. DBS's collection of such works includes vowels in the electronic editions.

====Popular halakhic works====
Some of these are also vowelized in DBS.