the mishnah. the mishnah is one of the major works of rabbinic literature
TRANSCRIPT
The Mishnah
The
Mishnah is
one of the
major works
of rabbinic
literature
• According to Jewish tradition, God gave
Moses two laws at Mount Sinai:
The written law
The oral law
Mishnah
• The written law became the first five books
of the Old Testament – the Torah
• The oral law was used to
preserve the relevance
and application
of the written law
Mishnah
• In Jewish tradition, the Bible is called
Mikra, “that which is read”
• Mishnah means “that which is repeated”
Mishnah
In a broad sense,
Mishnah may refer to everything
Moses received from God
at Mount Sinai
that was not in written form.
Mishnah
In narrow sense,
Mishnah refers to
a specific collection of legal opinions
compiled under the direction
of Rabbi Judah HaNasi
(Judah the Prince)
Mishnah
A mishnah can also refer to the smallest
subdivision of the Mishnah,
a section of the text,
about twice the length
of a Bible verse.
Mishnah
The Mishnah contains
the opinions and sayings
of sages and rabbis
from about 300 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.
Mishnah
330 O 220
C.E.B.C.E.
The Mishnah is divided into six
orders or divisions called sedarim
These six orders are further
subdived into tractates or
massekhtot
Mishnah subdivisions
The tractates are divided into
chapters or perakim
The chapters are divided into
mishnah verses or mishnayot
Mishnah subdivisions
Mishnah subdivisions
Mishnah
Orders/Divisions sedarimsedarim
Tractates massekhtotmassekhtot
Mishnah verses mishnayotmishnayot
Chapters perakimperakim
Order/Division Sedarim
Subject Number of Tractates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
SeedsZera’im
Agricultural laws 11
Appointed TimeMo’ed Jewish holidays 12
WomenNashim
Laws & concerns relevant to women
10*DamagesNezikin
Torts & casuistry, guide for public life
7
Holy ThingsKodashin Temple worship 11
PuritiesToharot Ritual purity 12
Order/Division Sedarim
Subject Number of Tractates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
SeedsZera’im
Agricultural laws 11
Appointed TimeMo’ed Jewish holidays 12
WomenNashim
Laws & concerns relevant to women
10*DamagesNezikin
Torts & casuistry, guide for public life
7
Holy ThingsKodashin Temple worship 11
PuritiesToharot Ritual purity 12
10*Damages Nezikin
Torts & casuistry, guide for public life
One of the 10 tractates of Damages
is the Ethics of the Fathers
This collection of ethical maxims and
teachings of wisdom is the most celebrated
tractate of the Mishnah
The Mishnah later became the foundation
for the next layer of Jewish
legal scholarly activity:
the Talmud