Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server

What is Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server?

A Model Context Protocol server that provides access to Jewish texts from the Sefaria library. It enables Large Language Models to retrieve and reference Jewish texts through a standardized interface using two main tools: get_text (fetch a specific text by reference) and get_commentaries (retrieve commentaries for a given text). Built with the MCP SDK and the Sefaria API.

How to use Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server?

Install via Smithery (npx -y @smithery/cli install mcp-sefaria-server --client claude) or clone the repository and run uv --directory path/to/directory run sefaria_jewish_library. Configure as an MCP server in clients like Claude Desktop or Cline by adding the binary command and directory to the client’s MCP configuration file.

Key features of Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server

• Retrieve Jewish texts by reference (e.g., "Genesis 1:1")
• Retrieve commentaries on a given text
• Supports Hebrew and English text references
• Works with any MCP-compatible client
• Uses the public Sefaria API

Use cases of Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server

• An LLM answering a question about a specific Torah verse and its commentaries
• A chatbot providing context for a Jewish legal discussion
• An educational tool that pulls primary source texts for study
• Automated retrieval of Talmudic passages for research

FAQ from Sefaria Jewish Library MCP Server

What Python version is required?

Python 3.10 or higher.

How do I run the server?

Run uv --directory path/to/directory run sefaria_jewish_library from the command line, or configure it as an MCP server in a client (e.g., Claude Desktop) using the command and directory arguments.

What tools does the server provide?

Two tools: get_text (retrieve a text by reference) and get_commentaries (retrieve commentaries for a given reference). Both accept references in Hebrew or English.

Does the server require any API keys?

No. The README does not mention any authentication or API keys; it uses the public Sefaria API.

How do I configure it for Claude Desktop?

Add a configuration entry under mcpServers with command uv, args including the directory and run sefaria_jewish_library, and the environment variable PYTHONIOENCODING: "utf-8" for Windows.