Payton Roth

Dr. Dillbeck
REL 4907-9
5 April 2024
Survey of Rabbinic Judaism

A dual Torah defines Judaism for the first 7 centuries CE; rabbinical Judaism during this

time is structured around sages. Their canon consists of the Torah, memorized oral tradition

recorded in the Mishnah, and the model of the sages who embody Moses. It should be notes that

Rabbinic literature is only a small amount of diverse works of Jewish literature characterized by

extensive exegesis of the Hebrew bible, acknowledgement solely of the Jewish scriptures,

citations attributed to rabbis.

The Mishnah has six divisions: agriculture, holy seasons, family affairs, civil law,

offerings, cultic purification. Three exegetical documents form around the Mishnah: The Tosefta

and both Talmud’s. The Mishnah performs both exegesis and proposition, speaking to an

encompassing problem and its implications for a number of topics and rules (a transition from

line-by-line exegesis). Halakhah and Aggadah are a fusion of Mishnah and Scripture in the

Talmud of Babylonia which becomes a defining document in rabbinic Judaism as a systematic

treatment of many tractates of the Mishnah.

Dating these documents is tenuous but a general program of succession can be

determined: Mishnah and Tosefta, followed by Yerushalami, then Bavli, then Sifra, then

Leviticus Rabba and the other Rabbahs. Difficulties in dating pertain to the different documents

attributing the same saying to different rabbis, the wording of sayings conforming to the pattern

of a redactor, and lack of a clear way of checking credibility; thus, a starting point for

understanding this literature must be placed with the document itself, rather than its authors.
 In terms of interrelation these documents either possess their own authority, represent

what comes before,, or perform both of these functions. The documents should be understood as

autonomous, yet having connections with others that fall into same clear categories (through

traits of expression and content), and all consisting of a canon for the Jews. The documents are

increasingly layered as one moves forward, contain many circulated sayings, and make use the

scriptures and Mishnah. What unifies them, rather than intertextuality is intratextuality: they are

not unified by common collection but come from a cogent community and vary greatly.

Their composition is difficult to discern; first of all, only a few documents carry a

consistent thought from beginning to end (Mishnah and Sifra); secondly the character of

compilations of earlier sayings is nearly impossible to know. Three stages can be recognized

however from late to early: definition of a dox (topical program, rhetorical medium, logical

message), preceded by documents of a clearer purpose, preceded by writings alien to the

purpose, too short to discern the original intent. In the Mishnah one can discern the individual

paragraph with its unique topic and phraseology but the origin and purpose of individual lines is

much more difficult. The Talmud contains episodic writings that demand no extensive form or

purpose to be understood. It should be acknowledged that certain types of writing were probably

written with no prospect for its future, document about virtue and reason (not with documentary

considerations primarily, and largely unorganized).

Midrash is another category of Jewish literature. The word is first used in 2 Chron 13:22

and 24:27; though it is not clear if a book or work is meant here; a house of midrash is mentioned

in Sirach 51:23; Qumran speaks of Midrash as interpretation and seeking out; they speak of the

midrash torah; thus it is a work rather than a method of interpretation (as modern scholars have

supposed). Midrash is essentially a text that stands in direct relation to canonical literature.
Earliest exemplars is Chronicles use of Kings and Samuel; one can also discern it in the infancy

narrative and temptation narrative of the New Testament. Midrash uses the textual context of the

entire bible without specific concern with intent where any verses can connect with others: the

modus operandi is in discovering a religious sense of text still applicable for the day, filling in

gaps and reconciling contradictions (halakhah), getting creative with the text (Haggadah; this

includes different vocalizations, parallels of words, certain letter occurrences, inverted sequence

of words, et al).

Midrash consists of Halakhic and Haggadic exegesis, and exegetical and homiletical

works. It is the Synagogue sermon, where the Petihah is most common form (which uses a verse

not from biblical books, makes an exposition, then has a closing Pentateuch verse) The other

category for synagogue is Hatimah, words of comfort at end of tractates.

The two most relevant midrashim are the Halakhic Midrashim, a legal outworking of

Exodus to Deuteronomy; this one has two traditions that could be representative of two schools:

Aqba (verbal analogy, inclusion and exclusion, individual peculiarities) and Ishmael (literal

meaning) or the work of redactors as one cannot clearly demarcate one school from the other as

they use the literary strategies of the other. The oldest exegetical midrashim is Genesis Rabbah; it

has some short explanations of verses, some haggadic interpretations, maxims and parables

throughout, and a verse by verse method maintained for ninety-one of the one-hundred parashah;

Manuscript Vat Ebr 30 is considered the best textual version of the Genesis Rabbah (10th-11th

century, Egypt).

The Talmudim is the next distinct category of Jewish literature. This type of literature is

found frequently at Qumran (Gomera); The Palestinian Talmud (PT) has Gemera of only 39/63
tractates of the Mishnah, four out of six orders, thus there have been made suggestions that

tractates were lost though there is no evidence for such.

The Palestinian Talmud uses the Mishnah though it unclears which recension is being

used as phrases do not match with phrases in our current editions; most of the Baraitot (teaching-

outside of Mishnah) come from Tannaitic material, referred to by allusion; the midrashim in the

Talmud are mostly halakhic and extremely short with one line or a few words; it also uses many

amoraim. The text itself is quite corrupt though as Babylonian Talmud took prominence and it

accommodated its type of language, and accumulated Greek and Latin loan words; Manuscript

Leiden Scaliger 3 is only complete PT.

The Babylonian Talmud (BT) deals with only 36-1/2 of 63 tractates of the Mishnah,

possibly because these purity and land laws were no longer relevant; the BT is much longer than

PT, as it incorporates an array of other material (a dream book, tractate on miracles and visions,

behavior of rabbis in academies, etc.); its nature is rather encyclopedic containing legends,

anecdotes, historical reminisces, and knowledge about medicine and astronomy and the such.

Its traditional origin goes back to Rabbi Ashi, reviser of Talmud (BB157b and BM86a),

but other texts suggest he does not stand out enough for this task and that BB157 talks about

system of academies which later times characterizes and is thus considered spurious. The text has

two recensions in Sura and Pumbeditha.

It works with Mishnah but reconciles it with Babylonian halakhah; it uses tannaitic

sources but these Baraitot outside of PT are more difficult as they are referred to differently

elsewhere and are mostly small use of midrashim. The relationship to PT is probably

dissemination of traditions rather than use of text which explains undeniable parallels and also
marked difference of style. The final shape is reached in the 8th AD at time where this area is a

political center in the world and can spread knowledge.

Mishnah is the category; it comes from Shannah (to repeat/ learn or teach oral tradition

by recitation); it encompasses midrash as interpretation of text, halakhot as statues independent

of scripture, and Haggadah; most prominent is the collection attributed to Yehudah ha-Nasi;

consisting of six orders.

1. Zeraim (seeds)- Berakhot which are prayers around meals, Peah-question of corner of field,

Demai- which fruits do not tithe to priests, Killaim- what constitutes mixing 2 different

kings, Shebiit- what can be done sabbath year, Terumoth (levy for priests), etc.

2. Moed (festival days)- shabbat-sabbath regulations, erubin- mixing of courtyards, Pesahim

(Passover offerings), Yoma (day of atonement), Suka (feast of booths), Rosh ha Shanah

(new year festival), Ta'anit (fasting), etc.

3. Nashim- Women- Yebumot (sisters in law), Ketuboth (marriage contracts), Sotah-suspected

adulteress, Gittin-divorce certificates, etc.

4. Neziqin- damages- Baba Qamma, Mesia and Bathra (first gate, middle gate and last gate),

Makkot (stripes), Shebuot (types of oaths), Horayot (decisions reached by leaders)

5. Qodashim (holy things)- Zebahim (sacrificial victim), Menahoth (meal offerings), Bekharot

(first born), Temurah- exchange of animals, Me'ilah- embezzlement, etc.

6. Toharot (purites)- Ketim (utensils), Ohalot (tents for impurities), Parah (red heifer

specifications), Miqva'ot (immersion pools for purification), Yadayim (how hands are

defiled and such)

Original number of tractates is divided into sixty sections divided into ten for each order.

The structuring principle is sometimes confusing: Berakhot belongs better outside of the first
 order, Nazirite laws with womens’ vows (rather than adulteress punishments), and Abot is

strange for being purely haggadic. This is likely a topical arrangement that is interrupted to form

associations of substance, form of identity.

The Origin according to tradition is with Yehuda ha-Nasi as editor, the main source from

Mishnah of R Meir who in turn based his material on the teaching of Aqiba who appealed back

to a Mishnah that goes back to biblical times; thus, it traces a line of descent.

There are also three groups of Halakhot: those derived from scripture, independent and

those started independent then later connected. Their relation to scriptures needs much further

analysis however for solid conclusions.

Rabbinic literature is essentially a multi layered, multi-functional array of documents that

appeals to scripture, oral tradition and the wisdom of sages and portrays a complex picture of

Judaism responding to the need to maintain their identity.

Sources

Neusner, Jacob. “Defining Rabbinic Literature and Its Principal Parts.” In Introduction to Rabbinic

Literature. Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library. Anchor Bible, 1999.

Stermberger, Gunter, and Herman L. Strack . Introduction to The Talmud and Midrash. Fortress

Press, 1996.