1.2 TALMUD

the talmud in modern education

regular lectures and extended lessons are held in every major Jewish community. There is a worldwide study circle that offers daily study of the Talmud in a structure that allows Jews to study the same portion of the Talmud wherever they are in the world.

what is the name of the older of the two works?

the Jerusalem Talmud compiled during the 4th-century CE. While the Babylon Talmud was not completed till 500 CE.

where did the process of debating and writing take place?

the actual process of debating the Mishnah and therefore writing the Gemara took place in 2 separate centres: the Land of Israel and Babylon.

Mishnah (definition)

the first written version of the oral tradition, the authoritative document was put together in 200 CE

the Talmud in modern Jewish life

the talmud is regarded as the central feature of Orthodox Jewish life, and all Jews are encouraged to study it extensively as part of their Jewish education. The talmud is regarded as the source of all Jewish legal teachings and decisions that affect every aspect of a Jew's life.

which language is the Talmud written in?

the talmud is written in the ancient language known as Aramaic, the language spoken by Jews in Israel in the 1st century BCE and 1st century CE.

what happened to the Mishnah in 500 CE?

the writing that summarised the discussion and debate about the Mishnah were collected and organise and became known as the Gemara. The combination of the Mishnah and the Gemara is known as the Talmud.

the written law

traditional jewish beliefs holds that the Torah revealed to the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai was recorded in its pure form as the written law.

why do some jews not regard the talmud as important?

1) Some find that Aramaic is too difficult to understand and they feel that it is therefore not easy to access. 2) Many feel that the debates contained in the Talmud which were written in the 6th century are not relevant today. 3) People produced modern English versions of the Talmud, which more Jews can read and these have become very popular.

the 6 sections of the talmud

1) seeds 2) festival 3) women 4) damages 5) holy things 6) purities

talmud (definition)

a commentary by the rabbis on the torah

Gemara (definition)

a commentary on the Mishnah

what happened to the oral law in 200 CE?

as the oral law was transmitted from generation to generation, there was, of course, danger of details being altered or misinterpreted, and in 200 CE the law was collated and written down as the Mishnah by Rabbi Judah Hanassi.

What is the oral law?

at the same time that the written law was given to the people, Moses received the detailed teachings of the way in which the Torah should be interpreted. This teaching was oral and became known as the oral law