Rabbinic Literature, Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash, Exhibits & Library Guides

Rabbinic Literature - Mishnah, Talmud

Mishnah ~ Talmud ~ Baraita/Tosefta ~ Special topics in Talmudic Lit. ~ Midrash

Mishnah

This collection of early Rabbinic legal code was compiled by Judah ha-Nasi in the 2nd century. It is divided into 6 parts called orders. Each order (or seder) is subdivided into sections called tractates (or masechet).

The orders are:

Zera'im (seeds) - laws of agriculture
Mo'ed (set times) - laws of holidays and Sabbath
Nashim (women) - laws of marriage, divorce, and vows
Nezikin (damages) - civil and criminal law
Kodashim (Holy things) - ritual sacrifice and offerings
Tahorot (purities) - laws of ceremonial purity

Finding Mishnah on the shelf

Complete sets of the Mishnah are generally shelved in BM 497. They are shelved in this order: original language (BM 497), selections (BM 497.2), translations (BM 497.5), early works about the Mishnah (BM 497.7), then later works (BM 497.8). Individual orders and tractates of the Mishnah are shelved with individual orders and tractates of the Talmud under BM 506 (see below). Note: many of these works are shelved in the oversized (folio) section.

Finding Mishnah in the catalog

To find texts of the Mishnah do a title browse search for: mishnah <part (order or tractate)> <language>
for example: mishnah avot english
or: mishnah berakhot german
or: mishnah zera'im

To find books written about the Mishnah, do a subject browse search under: mishnah <part>
for example: mishnah avot vi
or: mishna bezah

Finding Mishnah online

Sayings of the Jewish Fathers (Pirqe Aboth)
Translated by Charles Taylor [1897]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/sjf/index.htm

Jewish texts at Snunit
Includes the Hebrew texts of the Tanakh, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud Bavli, Talmud Yerushalmi, and Mishneh Torah
http://www1.snunit.k12.il/kodesh/

Talmud

In the 2-3 centuries following the compilation of the Mishnah more commentaries and legal discussions were written and collected into works called the Gemorah. Two different Gemarah were compiled; one in Babylonia and one in Palestine. Collectively the Mishnah and Gemarah are called the Talmud. While there is overlap between the Babylonian (or Bavli) and Palestinian (or Jerusalem or Yerushalmi) Talmuds, the Babylonian is the larger and more comprehensive work.

Finding Talmud on the shelf

Complete sets of the Palestinian/Jerusalem Talmud are generally shelved in BM 498. They are shelved in this order: original language (BM 498), selections (BM 498.2), translations (BM 498.5), early works about the Jerusalem Talmud (BM 498.7), then later works (BM 498.8). Individual orders and tractates are shelved with individual orders and tractates of the Talmud under BM 506

Complete sets of the Babylonian Talmud (also just called Talmud without the Babylonian qualifier) are generally shelved in BM 499. They are shelved in this order: original language (BM 499), selections (BM 499.2), translations (BM 499.5)

Works about the Talmud are shelved in BM 500-BM 504
BM 500-500.5 Collections, concordances, dictionaries, etc.
BM 501 Development of the Talmud: general works, then Soferim, Tannaim, Amoraim, Saboraim, Geonim, Rishonim, Aharonim
BM 502 Talmudists, Talmudic academies, then individual talmudists.
BM 503 Authority, traditions, introductions, methodology, textual criticism.
BM 504 Commentaries

Individual orders and tractates are shelved under BM 506
Note: many of these works are shelved in the oversized (folio) section.

Finding Talmud in the catalog

To find texts of the Talmud do a title browse search for: talmud <part> <language>
for example: Talmud english
or: talmud berakhot german
or: talmud zevahim

To find books written about the Talmud, do a subject browse search under: talmud <part>
for example: talmud bezah

Finding Talmud online

The Babylonian Talmud Translated by M.L. Rodkinson [1918]
This abridgement of the Talmud covers Mo'ed and Nezikin only.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm

Jewish texts at Snunit
Includes the Hebrew texts of the Tanakh, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud Bavli, Talmud Yerushalmi, and Mishneh Torah
http://www1.snunit.k12.il/kodesh/

Baraita & Tosefta

Baraita refers to a type of literature, not a specific work. Baraita means "outside" and refers to legal discussions and commentary written around the same time as the Mishnah, but not included in the Mishnah. There are many collections of baraita including Baraita de-melekhet ha-Mishkan.

Collections of baraita are shelved under BM 507 ; specific works are under BM 507.5

The Tosefta is a special collection of baraita. It is arranged in the same way as the Mishnah (the same 6 orders, with most of the same tractates)
The Tosefta is shelved under BM 508. Complete sets are in BM 508 ; selections in 508.12 ; translations in 508.13 ; concordances, dictionaries, etc. in 508.15 ; works on the Tosefta in 508.2 ; and single orders or tractates in 508.5.

Special topics covered in Talmudic Literature

Works on specific topics discussed in any of Talmudic literature and shelved in BM 509. They'll appear in alphabetic order by subject.

Midrash

This section is still "under construction"

Midrash Bibliography / edited by Lewis Barth, et al