The Mishnah

The

Mishnah is

one of the

major works

of rabbinic

literature

• According to Jewish tradition, God gave

Moses two laws at Mount Sinai:

The written law

The oral law

Mishnah

• The written law became the first five books

of the Old Testament – the Torah

• The oral law was used to

preserve the relevance

and application

of the written law

Mishnah

• In Jewish tradition, the Bible is called

Mikra, “that which is read”

• Mishnah means “that which is repeated”

Mishnah

In a broad sense,

Mishnah may refer to everything

Moses received from God

at Mount Sinai

that was not in written form.

Mishnah

In narrow sense,

Mishnah refers to

a specific collection of legal opinions

compiled under the direction

of Rabbi Judah HaNasi

(Judah the Prince)

Mishnah

A mishnah can also refer to the smallest

subdivision of the Mishnah,

a section of the text,

about twice the length

of a Bible verse.

Mishnah

The Mishnah contains

the opinions and sayings

of sages and rabbis

from about 300 B.C.E. to 220 C.E.

Mishnah

330 O 220

C.E.B.C.E.

The Mishnah is divided into six

orders or divisions called sedarim

These six orders are further

subdived into tractates or

massekhtot

Mishnah subdivisions

The tractates are divided into

chapters or perakim

The chapters are divided into

mishnah verses or mishnayot

Mishnah subdivisions

Mishnah subdivisions

Mishnah

Orders/Divisions sedarimsedarim

Tractates massekhtotmassekhtot

Mishnah verses mishnayotmishnayot

Chapters perakimperakim

Order/Division Sedarim

Subject Number of Tractates

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

SeedsZera’im

Agricultural laws 11

Appointed TimeMo’ed Jewish holidays 12

WomenNashim

Laws & concerns relevant to women

10*DamagesNezikin

Torts & casuistry, guide for public life

7

Holy ThingsKodashin Temple worship 11

PuritiesToharot Ritual purity 12

Order/Division Sedarim

Subject Number of Tractates

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

SeedsZera’im

Agricultural laws 11

Appointed TimeMo’ed Jewish holidays 12

WomenNashim

Laws & concerns relevant to women

10*DamagesNezikin

Torts & casuistry, guide for public life

7

Holy ThingsKodashin Temple worship 11

PuritiesToharot Ritual purity 12

10*Damages Nezikin

Torts & casuistry, guide for public life

One of the 10 tractates of Damages

is the Ethics of the Fathers

This collection of ethical maxims and

teachings of wisdom is the most celebrated

tractate of the Mishnah

The Mishnah later became the foundation

for the next layer of Jewish

legal scholarly activity:

the Talmud