Rabbinical Works
Mishnaic writings, Hillel, Shammai and others....
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The Hebrew word for "Teaching" or "Instruction." After the Babylonian exile [6th c. BC], the term was used by Jews to designate a written text containing commandments [mitzwoth] of God. By extension, Torah became the collective term for the five scrolls [Greek: Pentateuch] of Hebrew scripture that were traditionally ascribed to Moses. These scrolls...
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The Mishna & later rabbinic collections & commentaries on oral Torah [talmudim & tosefta] are arranged in six general "orders" [sedarim], each of which contains several named tractates [massektoth] reporting tannaitic traditions vaguely related to a central theme. The bulk of the traditions recorded in the Mishna have to do with rules o...
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Writings of the Rabbi's: Where Two or Three are Gathered, Daily Bread, Blessing the Meal, Blessing Wine & Bread, The Way of Torah, Price of Loose Discipline, Aqiba's Cautions, Frequent Feasting, Preparing for the Real Banquet, One who Serves....
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Since the Pharisees lacked a central authority, prior to the destruction of the temple there was no fixed form or content to the oral instruction communicated by each rabbi. Yet, during the early 1st c. CE, two schools of interpretation became influential among Judean Pharisees: the school of Shammai & the school of Hillel. After the destructio...
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An Unclean Cup, What Defiles?, Whose House is Dirty?, Tax Collectors Visit, A Leper's Visit, Passing Lepers, Sin causes Sickness, Gentiles & Heretics, Who profanes?, Other Interpretations of Torah, Disciples of Abraham and Balaam, Who is Hostile?, Against Trusting Secular Types, Kosher Marriage, A Woman with Child, Reason for Divorce, Letter of...
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Term used to designate rabbinic scholars of the first two centuries CE. Prior to definitive publication of the Mishna, rabbinic tradition had been transmitted primarily orally, with a heavy emphasis on memorization of precepts formulated by eminent Jewish sages of previous generations. The tanna committed to memory the opinions not only of his own ...
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Hebrew term for "Interpretation" or "Exposition." The word generally used for any written or oral commentary on a biblical text. The original purpose of midrash was to resolve problems in the Hebrew text of the Bible. As early as the 1st c. CE rabbinic principles of hermeneutics & philology were used to bring the interpretation of difficult pas...
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Zera'im ["Seeds"] Agriculture Berakoth ["Blessings"] Prayer
Mo'ed ["Festivals"] Calendar & Ritual Shabbath ["Sabbath"] Sabbath observance
Erubin ["Blendings"] Resolution of problems
Pesachim ["Passovers"] Passover observance
Yoma ["Day (of Atonement)"] Yom Kippur
Rosh HaShanah ["New Year's Day"] Calendar calculations
Ta'anith ["Fasting"] ...
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