Software Overview:
Bar-Ilan's Responsa
Quick Summary of the Basics
Selecting a Database
Let us suppose, for example, that you are interested in locating the Talmudic
source of Hillel's statement about learning the entire Torah while standing
on one foot. Once the program has been loaded by a LETRS consultant,
the first thing you will see is the somewhat bare frame of the
main window (Not to worry; this will fill up quickly). To begin, choose
the database in which you want to search. Click on Database
on the main menu bar [confirmed keyboard users use
F10, the left arrow, and return], and from the pull-down menu which appears,
select Talmud Bavli. The heading
in blue at the top of the screen will change to reflect your choice, and
you're ready to begin your search.
Straightforward Searching
Choose
Search from the main menu bar; the
search screen will appear.
Type in the text you want Bar-Ilan to find. (In this case, you would only
need to enter 
, as the
entire expression [
]
may slow the search.) [Those unfamiliar with the Hebrew keyboard
may feel free to look at our template.]
If you make a mistake, use Clear to redo the line;
otherwise, hit Immediate Search (or just Enter).
In a few seconds, the results will appear, revealing that our phrase
occurs only once, in 
.
Complex Searching
Choosing Search again from the main menu bar, let's try
a slightly more complicated search. This time, let's look for all the
references in the Talmud to 
. As this may be
phrased in different ways--e.g., 
,
--your query will have to reflect this.
Essentially, you will be looking for a combination of two elements:
(1) all grammatical forms derived from the root
(e.g.,
,
,
,
,
etc.), and (2) the words 
(as in
) and
(as in 
)--in other words, the word
with grammatical prefixes.
To locate all such forms, type 
#
%.
[Don't put a space between the words and their percent/number signs,
but do include a space between % and
#.] As the buttons on the search
screen indicate, the % prefix allows you to look for all forms derived
from the specified root; putting a number sign before a word allows
you to look for that word with all relevant grammatical prefixes
(e.g., -
,
-
,
-
). (If you're a confirmed
mouse-clicker, you may type the word, double-click it, and then click
on the appropriate button. Whatever seems easiest to you.) Hit
Immediate Search / Enter. Give it a minute.
When it is finished, it will display 37 passages in which variations
of this phrase appear.
Displaying the Results
You can display these results in various ways. Using
Display on the main menu bar, you may choose
Long to show more context, Brief for
a single line, or Sources simply to list the
references where your query may be found. If you wish to
display longer sections of text, double-click on a particular
selection. An expanded display window will open in which you
can scroll through you text at leisure.
Printing
If you find something you'd like to print, choose File
from the main menu bar. If you only need the contents
of the current screen, select Print Window. If
you need the entire list, try Print All.
Looking up a Text
Finally, if at some point you want to look up a reference instead
of searching for it, choose Text from the main
menu bar. If you need to select another database, do so. Otherwise,
a list of Talmudic tractates will appear. Once you've chosen one,
you wil be asked to specify a 
and
within the text. The Tab
key will move you from one to the other. Return will open the
expanded display window to the reference you've requested.
Exiting the Program
To end your session with Responsa, simply select
Exit from File on the main menu bar.
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Last Updated: 4/29/96
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~letrs/help-services/QuickGuides/bar-ilan/about-barilan2.html
Comments: Library Electronic Texts Resource Service /
LETRS@indiana.edu.
Indiana University