Talmud

Talmud is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewish cultural life and was foundational to "all Jewish thought and aspirations", serving also as "the guide for the daily life" of Jews.

The term "Talmud" normally refers to the collection of writings named specifically the Babylonian Talmud (Talmud Bavli), although there is also an earlier collection known as the Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi). The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah (c. 200 CE), the first written compendium of Judaism's Oral Law; and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), an elucidation of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Hebrew Bible.

The terms Talmud and Gemara are often used interchangeably. The Gemara is the basis for all codes of Jewish law and is much quoted in other rabbinic literature. The whole Talmud is also traditionally referred to as Shas (shisha sedarim – "six orders"), a term that specifically refers to the six orders of the Mishnah.

History

The Talmud is the product of a number of centuries of development. Its two main components, the Mishnah and the Gemara, were created by different groups of scholars over different periods of time. The Mishnah is the original written version of the oral law, while the Gemara is the record of the rabbinic discussions following this writing down. It includes the discussions of generations of rabbis in Palestine, mainly of the academies of Tiberias and Caesarea, from the third century C.E. onwards.

Structure

The Talmud is divided into six orders, each containing a number of tractates. Each tractate is divided into chapters and each chapter is divided into mishnayot. The mishnayot are the individual teachings or laws which the rest of the Talmud, the Gemara, discusses.

Influence

The Talmud has been highly influential in the development of Jewish law and tradition. It is the basis for all codes of Jewish law and is much quoted in other rabbinic literature. The Talmud's discussions are also the basis for many of the customs and practices of Judaism.

See also

• Mishnah
• Gemara
• Babylonian Talmud
• Jerusalem Talmud
• Halakha

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