The Gemara (גמרא - from gamar: Hebrew "[to] complete"; Aramaic "[to] study") is a component of the Talmud, comprising the rabbinical commentaries and analysis on the Mishnah, undertaken in Babylon. During the centuries following Rabbi Judah's editing of the Mishna, it was studied exhaustively by generation after generation of rabbis. Eventually, some of these rabbis wrote down their discussions and commentaries on the Mishna's laws in a series of books known as the Talmud. The rabbis of Palestine edited their discuss ...

Including:

• Gemara - Gemara and Mishnah
• Gemara - The Sugya
• Gemara - Argumentation and debate
• Gemara - Prooftexts
• Gemara - Questions

Read more here: » Gemara: Encyclopedia - Gemara

The analysis of the Amoraim is generally focused on clarifying the positions, words and views of the Tannaim. These debates and exchanges form the "building-blocks" of the gemara; the name for a passage of gemara is a sugya (סוגיא; plural sugyot). A sugya will typically comprise a detailed proof-based elaboration of the Mishna. Every aspect of the Mishnaic text is treated as a subject of close investigation. This analysis is aimed at an exhaustive ...

See also:

Gemara, Gemara - Gemara and Mishnah, Gemara - The Sugya, Gemara - Argumentation and debate, Gemara - Prooftexts, Gemara - Questions

Read more here: » Gemara: Encyclopedia II - Gemara - The Sugya

The distinctive character of the gemara derives largely from the intricate use of argumentation and debate, described above. In each sugya, either participant may cite scriptural, Mishnaic and Amoraic proof to build a logical support for their respective opinions. The process of deduction required to derive a conclusion from a prooftext is often logically complex and indirect. "Confronted with a statement on any subject, the Talmudic student will proceed to raise a series of questions before he satisfies himself of having under ...

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Gemara, Gemara - Gemara and Mishnah, Gemara - The Sugya, Gemara - Argumentation and debate, Gemara - Prooftexts, Gemara - Questions

Read more here: » Gemara: Encyclopedia II - Gemara - Argumentation and debate

The Talmud (תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law, Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories, which Jewish tradition considers authoritative. It is a fundamental source of legislation, customs, case histories and moral exhortations. The Talmud has two components, the Mishnah which is the first written compilation of Judaism's Oral Law, and the Gemara, a discussion of the Mishnah (though the terms Talmud and Gemara are generally used interchangeably). It expands on the earlier writings in the Torah in general ...

Including:

• Talmud - Structure and function
• Talmud - Mishna and Gemara
• Talmud - Orders and tractates
• Talmud - Form and style
• Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah
• Talmud - The two Talmuds
• Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud
• Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud
• Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter
• Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism
• Talmud - Karaism
• Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah
• Talmud - The Enlightenment
• Talmud - Jews in Western culture
• Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism
• Talmud - Historical study
• Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud
• Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud
• Talmud - Charges of racism
• Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars
• Talmud - Conservative
• Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page
• Talmud - Translations
• Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli
• Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia - Talmud

Baraita (Aramaic ברייתא: "external", "outside"; pl. Baraitot. Also Baraitha, Beraita ) designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law not incorporated in the Mishnah. "Baraita" thus refers to teachings "outside" of the six orders of the Mishnah. Originally, "Baraita" probably referred to teachings from schools outside of the main Mishnaic-era academies - although in later collections, individual Baraitot are often aut ...

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The Tosefta is a second compilation of oral law from the period of the Mishnah. In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah (tosefta means "supplement"). The Mishnah is the basic compilation of the Oral law of Judaism; it was compiled around 200 CE. It is a Halakhic work which corresponds in structure almost exactly to the Mishnah, with the same divisions for sedarim ("orders") and masekhot ("tractates"). It is mainly ...

Including:

• Tosefta - Orthodox scholars
• Tosefta - Non-Orthodox scholars
• Tosefta - External link

Read more here: » Tosefta: Encyclopedia - Tosefta

Posek (Hebrew פוסק; /poseq/ pl. Poskim) is the term in Jewish law for "legal decisor" - a rabbi who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive. This decision is known as a psak din or psak halakha (ruling of law; pl. piskei din, piskei halakha) or simply a "psak". In Hebrew, פסק is the root implying to stop or cease - here the posek brings the process of legal debate to finality. Piskei Din are ge ...

Including:

• Posek - List of recent Orthodox poskim

Read more here: » Posek: Encyclopedia - Posek

Amora, plural Amoraim, (from the Hebrew root amar "to say" or "tell over"), were renowned Jewish scholars who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral law, from about 200 to 500 CE in Babylonia and Israel.Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara. The first and foremost Babylonian Amora was Abba Arika, respectfully referred to as Rav. His contemporary and frequent debate partner was Samuel of Nehardea. The foremost Amoraim in Israel were Johanan bar Nappaha and Simeon ...

Including:

• Amora - External link

Read more here: » Amora: Encyclopedia - Amora

There is only one Mishnah but there are two distinct Gemaras: the Yerushalmi and the Bavli, and two corresponding Talmuds. (Today the word "Talmud", when used without qualification, refers to the Babylonian Talmud.) Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud. The Gemara here is a synopsis of almost 200 years of analysis of the Mishna in the Academies in Israel. Due to the location of the Academies, the agricultural laws of the Land of Israel are discussed in great detail. It was redacted in the yea ...

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Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - The two Talmuds

Traditional Judaism has always held that the books of the Tanakh were transmitted in parallel with a living, oral tradition. Thus, the Torah - the "Law" or "Instruction" - is the written law, while the oral law deals with its application and elaborates on its meaning. The Talmud, ultimately, constitutes the authoritative redaction of this tradition. It is thus the major influence on Jewish belief and thought. Furthermore, although not a formal legal code, it is the basis for all later codes of Jewish law, and thus continues to ...

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Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - Structure and function

The history of the Talmud reflects in part the history of Judaism persisting in a world of hostility and persecution. Almost at the very time that the Babylonian savoraim put the finishing touches to the redaction of the Talmud, the emperor Justinian issued his edict against the abolition of the Greek translation of the Bible in the service of the Synagogue. This edict, dictated by Christian zeal and anti-Jewish feeling, was the prelude to attacks on the Talmud, conceived in the same spirit, and beginning in the thirteenth cent ...

See also:

Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud

However, recent scholarship, especially by Professor Judith Hauptman reveals that the Tosefta draws on source material earlier than the later material in the Mishnah. It may well be that parts of the Tosefta predate the Mishnah. The Tosefta has been translated into English by Rabbi Jacob Neusner and his students. They have also produced a commentary. ...

See also:

Tosefta, Tosefta - Orthodox scholars, Tosefta - Non-Orthodox scholars, Tosefta - External link

Read more here: » Tosefta: Encyclopedia II - Tosefta - Non-Orthodox scholars

The Talmud and its study spread from Babylon to Egypt, northern Africa, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, regions destined to become abodes of the Jewish spirit; and in all these countries Jewish intellectual interest centered in the Talmud. Talmud - Karaism. One great reaction against its supremacy was Karaism, which arose in the very strong-hold of the Geonim within two centuries after the completion of the Talmud. The movement thus initiated and the influence of Arabic culture were the two chief factor ...

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Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism

The Talmud contains little serious biographical studies of the people discussed therein, and the same tractate will conflate the points of view of many different people. Yet, sketchy biographies of the Talmudic sages can often be constructed with historical detail from Talmudic sources. Many modern historical scholars have focused on the timing and the formation of the Talmud. A vital question is whether it is comprised of sources which date from its editor's lifetime, and to what extent is it comprised of earlier, or later sources. A ...

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Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - Historical study

Talmud scholars of the 20th century include: Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman Rabbi Boruch Ber Lebowitz (the Bircas Shmuel) Rabbi Naftoli Trop Rabbi Aharon Kotler Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik (the Brisker Rov) Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein (author of the Aruch HaShulchan). Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (author of the Iggros Moshe) Rabbi Yosef Eliahu Henkin Rabbi Yisrael Mei ...

See also:

Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars

Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli. There are four contemporary translations of the Talmud into English: The Soncino Hebrew-English Talmud Isidore Epstein, Soncino Press. In this translation, each English page faces the Aramaic/Hebrew page. Notes on each page provide additional background material. See also: Soncino Talmud site. The Talmud of Babylonia. An American Translation, Jacob Neusner, Tzvee Zahavy, others. Atlanta: 1984-1995: Scholars Press for Brown Judaic Studies. ...

See also:

Talmud, Talmud - Structure and function, Talmud - Mishna and Gemara, Talmud - Orders and tractates, Talmud - Form and style, Talmud - Halakha and Aggadah, Talmud - The two Talmuds, Talmud - Talmud Yerushalmi Jerusalem Talmud, Talmud - Talmud Bavli Babylonian Talmud, Talmud - Comparison of style and subject matter, Talmud - Attitude to the Talmud within Judaism, Talmud - Karaism, Talmud - Talmudic Study and Kabbalah, Talmud - The Enlightenment, Talmud - Jews in Western culture, Talmud - The Talmud in modern-day Judaism, Talmud - Historical study, Talmud - Changes within the text of the Talmud, Talmud - External attacks on the Talmud, Talmud - Charges of racism, Talmud - Modern day Talmud scholars, Talmud - Conservative, Talmud - The Daf Yomi Daily Page, Talmud - Translations, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Bavli, Talmud - Translations of Talmud Yerushalmi

Read more here: » Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Talmud - Translations

Alfasi was born in Kalat ibn Hamad, a village near Fes in Morocco. He studied in Kairouan, Tunisia under Nissim Ben Jacob and Chananel Ben Chushiel (Rabbeinu Chananel) the recognized rabbinical authorities of the age. Chananel trained Alfasi to deduce and to clarify the Halakha from Talmudic sources, and Alfasi then conceived of the idea of compiling a comprehensive work that would present all of the practical conclusions of the Gemara in a clear, definitive manner. To achieve this goal, he worked for 10 conse ...

See also:

Isaac Alfasi, Isaac Alfasi - Biography, Isaac Alfasi - Works

Read more here: » Isaac Alfasi: Encyclopedia II - Isaac Alfasi - Biography

Curious as is the order of subjects followed in this treatise, in which several mishnaic sources have been combined, the Tosefta follows it, adding comments that form the basis of the Gemara in both Talmuds. The contents of the Mishnah with the corresponding sections of the Tosefta are as follows: General calendar for the year, i.1-4 = Tosef. i.1-13. Regulations concerning the months' witnesses, i.5-ii.1 (connecting with i.4) = Tosef. i.15-ii.1 (abbreviated). Historical matter regarding fire-signals and messengers and th ...

See also:

Rosh Hashanah Talmud, Rosh Hashanah Talmud - The Shofar, Rosh Hashanah Talmud - The Tosefta

Read more here: » Rosh Hashanah Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Rosh Hashanah Talmud - The Tosefta

Isser Harel was born Isser Halperin in Vitebsk, Russia (now Belarus), to a large, wealthy family. The exact date of his birth was not passed on to him because the book of Gemara in which the date was recorded was lost in the migrations of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and World War I. The family had a vinegar factory in Vitebsk. It was a gift of his maternal grandfather, who had a concession to make vinegar in large parts of Tsarist Russia. Young Isser was five years old when the revolution broke out and Vitebsk passed several times between the Whites and the Reds. On one occa ...

See also:

Isser Harel, Isser Harel - Childhood and Youth, Isser Harel - Mossad Chief

Read more here: » Isser Harel: Encyclopedia II - Isser Harel - Childhood and Youth