"Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history."
Encompasses the study of the Jewish legal, ethical, and homiletic traditions, as well as the writings of the Jewish sages and rabbis from ancient times to modern times, including Midrash, responsa, and ethical literature.
Talmud: The main body of Rabbinic Literature that contains Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history.
Midrash: A collection of homiletic stories, parables, and commentaries on the Bible that help to explain its meanings and teachings.
Mishnah: The earliest compilation of Jewish oral law, which serves as the basis for the Talmud.
Halakha: The Jewish legal system and its various codes of law, which govern everything from religious observances to civil disputes.
Aggadah: A collection of Rabbinic Literature that includes folklore, legends, and moral teachings.
Kabbalah: A mystical tradition that seeks to understand spiritual truths through meditation and contemplation.
Hasidism: A Jewish movement that emphasizes experiential faith, ecstatic prayer, and close relationships between spiritual leaders and their followers.
Jewish philosophy: A discipline that explores the intellectual foundations of Jewish thought, including theology, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
Biblical interpretation: The study of how Rabbinic scholars have interpreted the Bible over the centuries, including the use of allegory, typology, and literary analysis.
Rabbinic leadership and authority: The role of rabbis in Jewish communities, including their responsibilities, obligations, and sources of authority.
Mishnah: A compilation of Jewish oral law and traditions in written form dating back to the 2nd century CE.
Talmud: A commentary on the Mishnah, compiled in two versions – the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud – about 500 years later.
Midrash: A genre of rabbinic literature that expands upon biblical texts through interpretation and storytelling, often containing homiletic and ethical teachings.
Halakhic literature: A collection of texts that focus on Jewish law, covering ritual practices, civil law, and ethical teachings.
Responsa literature: A collection of answers to legal questions sent to rabbis over the centuries, often providing insight into the evolution of Jewish law.
Kabbalah: A mystical and esoteric form of Jewish thought, which includes works such as the Zohar and Sefer ha-Bahir.
Commentaries on biblical and other texts: A large body of literature that interprets and expounds on the meaning of Jewish scriptures and other significant texts.
Aggadic literature: A type of rabbinic literature that focuses on non-legal topics, such as theology, ethics, and narrative.
Ethics literature: A genre of rabbinic literature that explores ethical teachings and concepts, such as the responsibilities of communal leaders and personal virtues.
Liturgical and prayer texts: A compilation of prayers, blessings, and hymns used in Jewish worship.
Rabbinic poems: A collection of poetry written by rabbis, often used in the context of liturgy or as a form of moral teaching.
Homiletics: A collection of sermons and lectures given by rabbis throughout the centuries, providing insight into Jewish thought and interpretation of scripture.
Rabbinic fables and folklore: A collection of stories and parables that provide moral teachings and ethical lessons.
Historical works: A collection of texts providing insight into the history of the Jewish people, including chronicles, biographies, and narratives of significant events.
"...the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era."
"The Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal (Hebrew: ספרות חז״ל 'Literature [of our] sages'... refers to literature from the Talmudic era."
"No, this more specific sense of 'Rabbinic literature'—referring to the Talmudim, Midrash, and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing."
"The terms mefareshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts."
"The term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era."
"...the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing."
"The Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal (Hebrew: ספרות חז״ל 'Literature [of our] sages')"
"Hazal normally refers only to the sages of the Talmudic era."
"This more specific sense of 'Rabbinic literature'—referring to the Talmudim, Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש), and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing."
"This more specific sense of 'Rabbinic literature'... but hardly ever to later texts."
"...literature from the Talmudic era..."
"...referring to the Talmudim, Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש), and related writings..."
"...hardly ever to later texts..."
"The terms mefareshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts."
"Yes, Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history."
"No, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing."
"The Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal (Hebrew: ספרות חז״ל 'Literature [of our] sages'... is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing."
"...hardly ever to later texts..."
"The terms mefareshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts."