The Mishnah The Mishnah is one of the

The Mishnah

The Mishnah is one of the major works of rabbinic literature

Mishnah • According to Jewish tradition, God gave Moses two laws at Mount Sinai: v The written law v 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 Ha. Nasi (Judah the Prince)

Mishnah This collection contains the opinions and sayings of sages and rabbis from about 300 B. C. E. to 220 C. E. B. C. E. 330 C. E. O 220

• The Mishnah is divided into six orders or divisions called sedarim • These six orders are further subdived into tractates or massekhtot

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Order/Division Sedarim Subject Number of Tractates Seeds Zera’im Agricultural laws 11 Appointed Time Mo’ed Jewish holidays 12 Women Nashim Laws & concerns relevant to women 7 Damages Nezikin Holy Things Kodashin Torts & casuistry, guide for public life 10* Temple worship 11 Ritual purity 12 Purities Toharot

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Order/Division Sedarim Subject Number of Tractates Seeds Zera’im Agricultural laws 11 Appointed Time Mo’ed Jewish holidays 12 Women Nashim Laws & concerns relevant to women 7 Damages Nezikin Holy Things Kodashin Torts & casuistry, guide for public life 10* Temple worship 11 Ritual purity 12 Purities Toharot

Damages Nezikin Torts & casuistry, guide for public life 10* Ø One of the 10 tractates of Damages is the Ethics of the Fathers, a collection of ethical maxims and teachings of wisdom Ø The Ethics of the Fathers is the most celebrated tractate of the Mishnah