Home > Rabbinic literature
Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writing throughout history. However, the term often used as an exact cognate of the Hebrew term Sifrut Hazal (ספרות חז"ל; "The Literature of our Sages, of blessed memory"), where the latter usually refers specifically to literature from the talmudic era. The latter, more specific, sense is how the term is normally used in medieval and modern rabbinic writing (where Hazal normally refers only to the sages of the talmudic era), and in contemporary academic writing (where "rabbinic literature" refers to talmud, midrash, and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts).This article discusses rabbinic literature in both senses. It begins with the classic rabbinic literature of the talmudic era (Sifrut Hazal), and then adds a broad survey of rabbinic writing from later periods.
1 The oral law
The Mishnah and the Tosefta (compiled from materials pre-dating the year 200) are the earliest extant works of rabbinic literature, explaining Judaism's oral law. Next came the two Talmuds:
2 The Midrash
Midrash (pl. Midrashim) is a Hebrew word referring to a method of reading details into, or out of, a Biblical text. The term "midrash" also can refer to a compilation of Midrashic teachings, in the form of legal, exegetical or homiletical commentaries on the Bible.
3 Later works by category
3.1 Jewish law
Halakha is the Jewish way of life. Notable works in this category include:
- The Major Codes of Jewish Law (See halakha article)
- The ResponsaNote: This is based on an entry from the 1906 public domain Jewish Encyclopedia''. This needs some work The responsa literature known in Hebrew as Sheelot U-teshuvot ("questions and answers"), is the body of written decisions and rulings given by rabbis t literature
3.2 Jewish thought and ethics
- Jewish philosophyJewish Philosophy is the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish Torah thought. Early Jewish philosophy was heavily influenced by the philosophy of Plato, Aristotle and Islamic philosophy. Many early medieval Jewish philosophers (from t
- KabbalahKabbalah "Reception", Standard Hebrew Qabbala Tiberian Hebrew Qabblh also written variously as Cabala Cabalah Cabbala Cabbalah Kabala Kabalah Kabbala Qabala Qabalah is a religious philosophical system claiming an insight into divine nature. Kabbalah" is a
- The works of Hasidic JudaismHasidic Judaism ( Hebrew: Chasidut ) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. It is also known as Hasidism and the adjective Chasidic ''Hasidic (or in Yiddish Chasidish meaning "righteous" from the Hebrew root word chesed meaning "loving kindness") is appli
- Jewish ethicsJewish ethics is based on the fundamental concepts of Judaism, which holds that ethical duties of mankind are derived from the Hebrew Bible. The starting point is the belief in the unity and holiness of God, in whose image man was created. Mussar movement and the Mussar Movement
3.3 Liturgy
- The SiddurThe siddur is the prayerbook used by Jews the world over, containing a set order of daily prayers. There is a separate entry on the prayers that appear in the siddur, and when they are said. This entry discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how and Jewish liturgy
- Piyyut im (Classical Jewish poetry)
