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Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah

Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah: Encyclopedia II - Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah

The Mishnah consists of six orders (sedarim). This explains the traditional name for the Talmud as Shas, which is an abbreviation of shishah sedarim, "six orders". Each of the six orders contains between 7 and 12 tractates, called masechtot. Each masechet is divided into verses called mishnayot (singular - mishna). First Order: Zeraim ("Seeds"). 11 tractates. It deals with agricultural laws and prayers. Second Order: Moed ("Festival"). 12 tractates. This pertains t ...

Mishnah: Encyclopedia II - Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah

Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah

The Mishnah consists of six orders (sedarim). This explains the traditional name for the Talmud as Shas, which is an abbreviation of shishah sedarim, "six orders". Each of the six orders contains between 7 and 12 tractates, called masechtot. Each masechet is divided into verses called mishnayot (singular - mishna).

First Order: Zeraim ("Seeds"). 11 tractates. It deals with agricultural laws and prayers.
Second Order: Moed ("Festival"). 12 tractates. This pertains to the laws of the Sabbath and the Festivals.
Third Order: Nashim ("Women"). 7 tractates. Concerns marriage and divorce.
Fourth Order: Nezikin ("Damages"). 10 tractates. Deals with civil and criminal law.
Fifth Order: Kodshim ("Holy things"). 11 tractates. This involves sacrificial rites, the Temple, and the dietary laws.
Sixth order: Tohorot ("Purities"). 12 tractates. This pertains to the laws of purity and impurity, including the impurity of the dead, the laws of ritual purity for the priests (cohanim), the laws of "family purity" (the menstrual laws) and others.

Most of the Mishnah is related stam, i.e. without any name attributed to it. This usually indicates that many sages taught so, and the halakhic ruling usually follows that view. Sometimes, however, it is the opinion of a single sage whom Rabbi Judah haNasi favored and sought to establish the ruling accordingly.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The structure of the Mishnah", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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