3. Oral Torah / Traditions

a) Midrash : exegesis of the holy text. [lit. "to teach, to investigate" Epstein p.113]

i) halakhah ---- legal ruling : principle. [lit. "walking" Ex 18:20 Ibid. ]

ii) haggadah --- preaching, semon: reasons to observe. [lit. "narration" Ibid. ]

b) Mishnah : catagory of laws. [lit. "to repeat' i.e. repetition of an oral teaching. ]

4. Historical Development

586 BC Destruction of the Temple: Revised Judaism

Temple ---> School (Synagogue )

Priests ---> Teacher (Soferim)

Sacrifices ---> Religious Observance

160 BC Pharisees' origin may traces back to Ezra's assistant. In Hebrew "perushim" means separated. This is a distinct movement in Hasmonean period (after 160 b. c. e.)[Untennann p.53] There are some bad Pharisees too! Their sins are listed in Talmudic literature: religious ostention, false humility, and exaggerated chastity. Jesus' opponents may be these Pharisees. [Unterman p.54 footnote 10. TJ Berakhot 9:51 TB Sotah 22b]

70 AD Jochanan ben Zakkai asked Roman General Vespasian to let him establish a school in Jabneh (Jamnia). He establishes a Sanhedrin after the model of Supreme Council of pre-Maccabean days. [Epstein p.113]

132 C. E. Outbreak of the Bar Kocheba revolt against Rome. [Untermann p.119]

135-8 AD Hadrian Persecution. Rabbi Abiba moves academy to Galilee, Usha.

New emperor Antoninus stopped the persecution.

135-217AD R. Judah the Prince I (Patriarch Danby Mishnah p.xiii).

217 AD Mishnah is written to preserve traditions.

Mishnah --> 6 orders ---> 63 tractates ---> chapters & paragraphs

Sedrim Massechot Peakim [Epstein p. 122f] 6 orders :
    1. Zeraim (Seeds) --- Agriculture, Benediction, woship.
    2. Mo'ed (Appointed Times/ set feast) --- Sabbath, Passover.
    3. Nashim [Untermann] / Nashim [Epstein] (Women) --- Marriage, Divorce.
    4. Nezikin (Damages) --- Civil & Crimical laws.
    5. Kodashim (Holy times) --- Temple Service
    6. Tohoroth (Purifications; cleannesses ) --- Impurity.

Commentary of Rashi = R Shalomo Ben Yetzhah (Troyes 1040-1105) Some additions are supplemented to it, which is called Gemara.

Talmud = Mishnah + Gemara.

Talmud ---

a) Halachic ----- i) Halachah : final decision.

ii) Halakoth : new legal judgments.

b) Midrashim --- Aggadic writings.

Tannaim ("teachers") : teachers of Mishnah. [Greenstein p.38]

Amoraim ("interpreters") : teachers of Gemara.

400 AD Jerusalem Talmud: 39 tractates. Higher Historicity.

500 AD Babylonina Talmud : 3 times bigger. 37 tractates. Deeper research.

Ref: Sigal, Philip. Judaism: The Evolution of a Faith.