THE MISHNAH AND THE TALMUD

The Pharisaic rabbis spent much time making oral comments on the Law. Those made in the first two centuries AD were compiled by Judah Hanasi about AD 200 to form the important collection known as the Mishnah. These rabbis were known as the 'Tannaim' (Teachers) and were chiefly concerned with decisions about regulations. A less important collection of their comments is known as the 'Tosefta' (enlargement).

The later expositions on the Mishnah by the 'Amoraim' (Expositors ) of Palestine and of Babylonia were known collectively as the Gemara (Completion). The combined text of the Mishnah and the related Gemara is known as the Talmud. These Pharisaic traditions form the basis of orthodox Judaism today.

Sermons commenting on the scriptures, known as 'Midrashim' were also compiled. The earlier Tannaitic Midrashim were mainly concerned with regulations They included commentaries on Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The later Amoraic Midrashim include much folklore and legendary materials. The greatest collection, the 'Midrash Rabbah' was not compiled until the sixth or seventh century AD. It includes commentaries on both the five books of the Law (the Pentateuch) and the five 'scrolls' of Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther.