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The Talmud (התלמוד) is
considered an authoritative record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law,
Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories
| It is a
fundamental source of legislation, customs, case histories and moral
exhortations. The Talmud comprises two components, the Mishnah and the
Gemara. It expands on the earlier writings in the Torah in general and
in the Mishnah in particular, and is the basis for all later codes of
Jewish law, and much of Rabbinic literature. The Talmud is also
traditionally referred to as Shas (an abbreviation of shishah sedarim,
the "six orders" of the Mishnah) |
Structure and Function
Rabbinical
Judaism has always held that the books of
the Tanakh were transmitted in parallel
with a living, oral tradition. (The Torah
"lists the rules" while the oral law deals
with application.) The Talmud, ultimately,
constitutes the authoritative redaction of
Judaism's oral tradition.
Mishna
and Gemara
The Jewish Oral law was recorded by Rabbi
Judah haNasi and redacted as the Mishnah
in 200 CE. The oral traditions were
committed to writing to preserve them, as
it became apparent that the Palestine
community, and its learning, was
threatened. The rabbis of the Mishnah are
known as Tannaim (sing. Tanna); teachings
in the Mishnah are generally reported in
the name of a Tanna.
Over the next three centuries the Mishna
underwent analysis and debate in Israel
and Babylon (the world's major Jewish
communities). This analysis is known as
Gemara. The rabbis of the Gemara are
referred to as Amoraim (sing. Amora). See
Gemara for further discussion.
The Mishnah and the Gemara together
comprise the Talmud. The Talmud is thus
the combination of a core text, the
Mishnah, or “redaction” (from the verb
shanah שנה, to repeat, revise) and
subsequent analysis and commentary, the
gemara, or “completion” (from gamar גמר,
to complete). It is also in two languages,
with the Mishna sections and Bibilical
references in Hebrew, and the Gemara
sections in Aramaic.
Although the debates between the Amoraim
focus on clarifying the words and views of
the Tannaim, the Gemara is not strictly
limited to an analysis of the Mishnah's
text. It also brings in sources from the
Mishnaic era, which were not included in
the Mishnah compendium, which are called
Tosefta (additions); the Talmud refers to
these as beraitot, (the word for
“outside”). The gemara also supplements
the Mishna with haggadic (or aggadic)
materials and biblical expositions, and is
a source for history and legend. See Ein
Yaakov.
The Talmud thus constitutes the
authoritative redaction of Judaism's oral
tradition. It is the major influence on
Jewish belief and thought. Furthermore,
although not a formal legal code, it is
the basis for all later codes of Jewish
law, and thus continues to exert a major
influence on Halakha and Jewish religious
practice.
Orders and
Tractates
The
Mishna consists of six orders (sedarim).
Each of the six orders contains between 7
and 12 tractates, called masechtot.
Each masechet is divided into
smaller units called mishnayot (mishna
- singular). In the Talmud, not every
tractate in the Mishnah has Gemara,
furthermore, the order of the tractates in
the Talmud is in some cases different to
the Mishnah; see the discussion on each
Seder.
- First
Order: Zeraim ("Seeds"). 11
tractates. It deals with agricultural
laws and prayers.
- Second
Order: Moed ("Festival Days").
12 tractates. This pertains to the laws
of the Sabbath and the Festivals.
- Third
Order: Nashim ("Women"). 7
tractates. Concerns marriage and
divorce.
- Fourth
Order: Nezikin ("Damages"). 10
tractates. Deals with civil and criminal
law.
- Fifth
Order: Kodshim ("Holy things").
11 tractates. This involves sacrificial
rites, the Temple, and the dietary laws.
- Sixth
order: Tohorot ("Purity"). 12
tractates. This pertains to ritual and
the laws of family purity.
The two
Talmuds
There is
only one Mishnah but there are two
distinct gemaras: the Yerushalmi and the
Bavli, and two corresponding Talmuds.
(Today the word "Talmud", when used
without qualification, refers to the
Babylonian Talmud.)
Talmud Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud)
-
See Jerusalem Talmud.
The
Gemara here is a synopsis of almost 200
years of analysis of the Mishna in the
Academies in Israel. Due to the location
of the Academies, the agricultural laws of
the Land of Israel are discussed in great
detail. It was redacted in the year 350
C.E. by Rav Muna and Rav Yossi in Israel.
Together, this Gemara and the Mishnah are
known as Talmud Yerushalmi (The
Jerusalem Talmud; however, the name is a
misnomer, as it was not writtem in
Jerusalem. As such it is also known more
accurately as the Palestinian Talmud
or The Talmud of the Land of Israel.
References to the Yerushalmi are usually
not by page (as in the Babylonian Talmud)
but by the Mishna which is under
discussion. References are therefore in
the format of [Tractate chapter:Mishna]
(e.g. Berachot 1:2). As the Babylonian
Talmud is considered more influential,
references to the Yerushalmi are generally
prefaced by "Yerushalmi" to clarify their
origin.
continue: Talmud |
