Gemara
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Gemara (also
transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
Gemarah, or in
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
Gemore) is an essential component of the
Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
, comprising a collection of rabbinical analyses and commentaries on the
Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...
and presented in 63 books. The term is derived from the Aramaic word and rooted in the Semitic word ג-מ-ר (gamar), which means "to finish" or "complete". Initially, the Gemara was transmitted orally and not permitted to be written down. However, after Judah the Prince compiled the Mishnah around 200 CE, rabbis from
Babylonia Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...
and the
Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...
extensively studied the work. Their discussions were eventually documented in a series of books, which would come to be known as the Gemara. The Gemara, when combined with the Mishnah, forms the full Talmud. There are two versions of the Gemara: the
Babylonian Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...
(Talmud Bavli) and the Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi). The Babylonian Talmud, compiled by scholars in Babylonia around 500 CE and primarily from the academies of Sura, Pumbedita, and Nehardea, is the more commonly cited version when referring to the "Gemara" or "Talmud" without further qualification. The main compilers of the Babylonian Talmud were Ravina and Rav Ashi. The Jerusalem Talmud, also known as the Palestinian Talmud, was compiled by Jewish scholars in the Land of Israel, primarily from the academies of Tiberias and Caesarea, around 350–400 CE. The Talmud is organized into six ''sedarim'', or "orders," which include Zeraim, Moed, Nashim, Nezikin, Kodshim, and Taharot. In 1923, Polish Rabbi Meir Shapiro introduced a contemporary practice called " Daf Yomi," or "daily page," wherein participants study one page of the Talmud daily in cycles lasting seven and a half years each. This initiative ensures that both scholars and laypeople across the globe engage in the comprehensive study of the entire Talmud.


Gemara and Mishnah

The Gemara and the Mishnah together make up the
Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
. The Talmud thus comprises two components: the Mishnah – the core text; and the Gemara – analysis and commentary which "completes" the Talmud (see Structure of the Talmud).
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
describes the Gemara component as: The rabbis of the Mishnah are known as '' Tannaim'' (sing. ''Tanna'' ). The rabbis of the Gemara are referred to as '' Amoraim'' (sing. ''Amora'' אמורא). The analysis of the Amoraim, recorded as ''gemara'', is thus focused on clarifying the positions, views, and word choice of the Tannaim. Because there are two Gemaras, as mentioned above, there are in fact two Talmuds: the Jerusalem Talmud (Hebrew: , "Talmud Yerushalmi"), and the
Babylonian Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...
(Hebrew: , "Talmud Bavli"), corresponding to the Jerusalem Gemara and the Babylonian Gemara; both share the same Mishnah. The Gemara is mostly written in
Aramaic Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...
, the Jerusalem Gemara in Western Aramaic and the Babylonian in Eastern Aramaic, but both contain portions in
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
. Sometimes the language changes in the middle of a story.


Origins of the word

In a narrow sense, the word refers to the mastery and transmission of existing tradition, as opposed to , which means the deriving of new results by logic. Both activities are represented in the as one literary work. The Aramaic noun ''gemar'' (and ''gemara'') was formed from the verb that means "learn." This substantive noun thus designates what was learned, and the learning transmitted to scholars by tradition, though it connotes in a more limited sense to exposition of the Mishnah. The word therefore gained currency as a designation of the Talmud. In the modern editions, the term ''gemara'' occurs frequently in this sense—but in nearly every case it was substituted at a later time for the objectionable word ''talmud'', which was prohibited by the Christian censors. The only passage in which ''gemara'' occurs with the meaning of "Talmud" in the strict sense, and not censored, is ''Eruvin'' 32b, where it is used by Rav Nahman, a Babylonian amora (3rd C.). Later editions of the Talmud frequently substitute for the word "Gemara" the Aramaic abbreviation for "the six orders of the Mishnah," pronounced as "Shas," which has become a popular designation for the Babylonian Talmud.


The ''Sugya''

The building block of gemara is known as a sugya, "a self-contained basic unit of Talmudic discussion" (p. 203) that often centers on a statement from the mishnah, the amoraic rabbis (memra), or simply independent of these. They vary in size and complexity and, though self-contained, may mention or assume knowledge of other sugiyot. 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 ; the name for such a passage of Gemara is a (; plural ). A will typically comprise a detailed proof-based elaboration of the . Every aspect of the text is treated as a subject of close investigation. This analysis is aimed at an exhaustive understanding of the full meaning. In the Talmud, a is presented as a series of responsive
hypotheses A hypothesis (: hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. A scientific method, scientific hypothesis must be based on observations and make a testable and reproducible prediction about reality, in a process beginning with an educ ...
and questions – with the Talmudic text as a record of each step in the process of reasoning and derivation. The thus takes the form of a dialectical exchange (by contrast, the states concluded legal opinions – and often differences in opinion between the ''Tannaim''. There is little dialogue). The disputants here are termed the (questioner, "one who raises a difficulty") and (answerer, "one who puts straight"). The records the semantic disagreements between ''Tannaim'' and ''Amoraim''. Some of these debates were actually conducted by the ''Amoraim'', though many of them are hypothetically reconstructed by the Talmud's redactors. (Often imputing a view to an earlier authority as to how he may have answered a question: "This is what Rabbi X could have argued ...") Only rarely are debates formally closed.


Argumentation and debate

The distinctive character of the derives largely from the intricate use of argumentation and debate, described above; these "back and forth" analytics are characterized by the Talmudic phrase ''shakla v'tarya'' (שקלא וטריא; lit. "taking and throwing"). In each , either participant may cite scriptural, and 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 understood its full meaning." This analysis has been described as "mathematical" in approach; Adin Steinsaltz makes the analogy of the ''Amoraim'' as
scientist A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...
s investigating the
Halakha ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...
, where the Tanakh,
Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...
, Tosefta and
midrash ''Midrash'' (;"midrash"
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
; or ''midrashot' ...
are the
phenomena A phenomenon ( phenomena), sometimes spelled phaenomenon, is an observable Event (philosophy), event. The term came into its modern Philosophy, philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be ...
studied.


Prooftexts

Prooftexts quoted to corroborate or disprove the respective opinions and theories will include: * verses from the Tanakh: the exact language employed is regarded as significant; * other : cross-references to analogous cases, or to parallel reasoning by the in question; * '' Beraitot'' (ברייתות) – uncodified which are also sources of halakha (lit. outside material; sing. ברייתא); ** references to opinions and cases in the (תוספתא); ** references to the (); * cross-references to other : again to analogous cases or logic.


Questions addressed

The actual debate will usually centre on the following categories:


Language

Why does the use one word rather than another? If a statement is not clear enough, the seeks to clarify the intention.


Logic

Exploring the logical principles underlying the statements, and showing how different understandings of the reasons could lead to differences in their practical application. What underlying principle is entailed in a statement of fact or in a specific instance brought as an illustration? If a statement appears obvious, the seeks the logical reason for its necessity. It seeks to answer under which circumstances a statement is true, and what qualifications are permissible. All statements are examined for internal consistency. See: List of Talmudic principles and :Talmud concepts and terminology


Legal

Resolving contradictions, perceived or actual, between different statements in the , or between the and other traditions; e.g., by stating that: two conflicting sources are dealing with differing circumstances; or that they represent the views of different rabbis. Do certain authorities differ or not? If they do, why do they differ? If a principle is presented as a generalization, the clarifies how much is included; if an exception, how much is excluded.


Biblical exposition

Demonstrating how the rulings or disputes derive from interpretations of Biblical texts, the will often ask where in the
Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
the derives a particular law. See Talmudic hermeneutics and .


See also

* * Hadran (Talmud) * List of masechtot, chapters, mishnahs and pages in the Talmud * Oral Torah * * * * Rabbinic works elaborating the analytical methods employed in : ** - R. Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller ** and - R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto *
''Mevo haTalmud''
- Shmuel HaNagid


Further reading

*
Gemara
, ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' *

, Prof. Eliezer Segal * "
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
introduction to the Mishneh Torah
English translation
*

, Samuel ha-Nagid *
Talmudic Method
, Harry Austryn Wolfson * ''The Essential Talmud: Thirtieth Anniversary Edition'', Adin Steinsaltz (Basic Books, 2006). Read mor
here
. See als
here
. * ''The Talmud: A Reference Guide'', Adin Steinsaltz (Random House, 1996). Read mor
here
. * ''Introduction to The Talmud and Midrash'', H.L. Strack and G. Stemberger (Fortress Press, 1992). * ''The Infinite Chain: Torah, Masorah, and Man'', Nathan T. Lopes Cardozo (Targum Press Distributed by Philipp Feldheim, 1989).


References


External links




Gemara Marking System: Keys to Structure

The Daf Map System: Innovative method that uses geometric shapes to structure the Gemara

Daf-A-Week: A project to study a daf per week

The Complete Babylonian Talmud
(Aramaic/Hebrew) as scanned images of the pages.
The Complete Babylonian Talmud
(Aramaic/Hebrew) as text. (Also available fro

)
A printable chart with listings of all Dappim from each Mesechta

Gemara Brochos:"Shema, Tefillah and Brochos"

Daily Gemara by Rabbi Eli Mansour
* {{Authority control Gemara Aramaic words and phrases Oral Torah Aramaic words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings Sifrei Kodesh