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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).1 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. The Talmud is arranged content-wise by Order and by Tractate; while conceptually, it is divided into two parts: Mishna and Gemara.
1.1 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; see the article on Rabbinic literature and the introduction of Maimonides to his Mishneh TorahThe Mishneh Torah or Yad ha-Chazaka is a code of Jewish law by one of the most important Jewish authorities, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, better known as Maimonides or by the Hebrew abbreviation RaMBaM''. The Mishneh Torah may be regarded as RamBam's magnum op [1].
1.2 Orders and Tractates
The Mishna consists of six orders (sedarim, seder - singular). Each of the six orders contains between 7 and 12 tractates, called masechtot (masechet - singular). Each masechet is divided into smaller units called mishnayot (mishnah - 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.
