What is the Talmud?

[*Zion*]

Sorry if the question has been asked before.  Can anyone shed light on this for me please?  Many thanks in advance

[Qnts2]

Sorry if the question has been asked before.  Can anyone shed light on this for me please?  Many thanks in advance

 

The Talmud is of course a Judaism religious book. It is divided into two major sections, the Mishnah and the Gemarah.

 

In Judaism, the Rabbis teach that God gave a written Torah, and an oral Torah. The Oral Torah (Mishnah) was to be passed down verbally, thru the Priesthood etc. The Oral Torah was to provide more information and details on how the written Torah commandments were to be practiced.  After Jesus time, when the Temple was destroyed, there was concern about the loss of this oral law without a Priesthood, Temple, and Jewish people being scattered, so what was remembered was written down. Just as a note, of the sects of Judaism of that time, only the Pharisees believed in this Oral Torah. The Sadducees and the Essenes did not believe that an oral law was actually handed down.

 

The Gemarah is Rabbinical commentary/debates. In Jewish culture, debate is used to investigate a topic, and as a learning tool. The Gemarah is mostly Rabbinic debates. Each section of the Mishnah is also based on scripture. So you have the written law, and the oral explanation of that law, and then the Rabbinic debates. The Rabbis would look at scripture and oral law, and would take potential positions of the possible meaning and application. Some of these proposals are extreme. They would then debate the various stands. The Talmud does not really have the conclusion or final decision based on the debates.

 

Pirkei Avot (Wisdom of the Fathers) 1:1 Moses received Torah from Sinai and handed it down to Joshua; and Joshua to the Elders; and the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets handed it down to the members of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgement, stand up many students, and make a fence for the Torah.

 

This section describes the supposed chain of transmission of the Oral Torah.  If you will notice, the final section mentions making a fence around the Torah. This fence is what Jesus spoke against in many instances. To make sure the law was not accidently broken, certain commands were expanded so that someone would not accidently break the command. 

 

A simple example that I have used is, if you believed that God told you to pray for someone, everyday for the next month, at 2 pm until 2:30 pm,  most Christians would indeed pray at 2 pm to 2:30. But, what if you get busy, and miss the start time? What if you clock is off by 5 minutes? God did say 2 pm. Would you start at 1:50? (Most Christians I have asked agreed that they would start a little early because God was so specific about the time). Well, what if you clock is off the other way by 5 minutes? Would you finish praying at 2:40 to make sure you were praying at the right time? Most Christian I have asked agreed that they would pray a little longer. I think asked if perhaps, the times God gave were actually based on Israeli time. Would they set an alarm for 1:50 pm Israel time, and pray then also? Not as many Christians said they would do that, but many still said they would so as not to miss what God asked them to do. That is an example of a fence around the law. It is routed in the desire to do what God said, and not miss it. Some of the fences made by the Rabbis do go to some silly extremes. Some debates are very tedious, as they comb thru such fine details.  

 

The Talmud uses expressions which are very unique and difficult to understand without an explanation. They are like Jewish court room expressions, or Rabbinical slang.

[*Zion*]

Thanks Qnts.  Are the debates added onto or are they cannoned similarly to the Bible's structure?

[other one]

Thanks Qnts.  Are the debates added onto or are they cannoned similarly to the Bible's structure?

http://www.come-and-hear.com/talmud/

 

you can read it online

[Qnts2]

Thanks Qnts.  Are the debates added onto or are they cannoned similarly to the Bible's structure?

 

The format of the Talmud is very strange. Basically, there is the Mishnah (Oral Torah) and below the Mishnah quote, is the Gemara. Addition commentary and debate is around the Mishnah. The location of the commentary is based on the time when it was written. Plus, there is commentary by Rashi, (nick name for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchak), who is highly respected. etc.   

 

Picture of page of Talmud:  http://people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/TalmudPage.html

 

The complete Talmud is typically 30 physical books. I should say that there are two Talmuds. When the Mishnah and Gemarah were recorded, two groups were involved. One was in Jerusalem and another in a city in the area of Babylon. The Jerusalem Talmud, was never as complete as the Rabbis were expelled from Jerusalem. The Babylonian Talmud is more complete and used more.

 

There are what are called 6 orders or general topics.   Zera'im (seeds) and deal with agricultural laws. Brakhot (Blessings), Nezekin (Damages), Nashim (Women), Kodashim (Holy things)  , Taharot (ritual purity). Within the Orders are individual topics or tractates.

[Qnts2]

 

Thanks Qnts.  Are the debates added onto or are they cannoned similarly to the Bible's structure?

http://www.come-and-hear.com/talmud/

 

you can read it online

 

I would recommend against that particular site. It is actually and anti-semitic site and has quotes from Elizabeth Dilling, a well known Nazi sympathizer and anti-semite.  

She misinterprets the Talmud to accuse the Jewish people of some really gross atrocities, which the Talmud actually speaks against. 

 

One of the greatest difficulties of reading the Talmud is that the wording used is not common wording and is easly misunderstood.

[*Zion*]

I see; so the Gemara is debate/commentary on the Mishna, and the Mishna is the oral commentary on the written Torah?

[other one]

and most of it is boring

[other one]

 

 

Thanks Qnts.  Are the debates added onto or are they cannoned similarly to the Bible's structure?

http://www.come-and-hear.com/talmud/

 

you can read it online

 

I would recommend against that particular site. It is actually and anti-semitic site and has quotes from Elizabeth Dilling, a well known Nazi sympathizer and anti-semite.  

She misinterprets the Talmud to accuse the Jewish people of some really gross atrocities, which the Talmud actually speaks against. 

 

One of the greatest difficulties of reading the Talmud is that the wording used is not common wording and is easly misunderstood.

 

wherever, just make sure it is not an abridged translation.

[Qnts2]

and most of it is boring

Yup. Long and most of it is boring. I know of some Christians who try to read it, but it has very limited use for a Christian. It does give some good historical information but to find it, you have to read thousands of pages and only about 10 to maybe 20 pages show any good historical information which would apply to NT times. It is good information when discussing or debating about Jesus with Rabbis or more religious Jewish people. If a non-Jewish Christian engages in discussions with Rabbis, I would be cautious. Some Jewish Rabbis will attempt to dissuade a belief in Jesus, and with their knowledge of Hebrew and debating techniques, I know of Christians who became confused.