"The Talmud is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology."
Concentrates on the study of the Talmud, a central text of Jewish law, ethics, and theology, as well as its commentaries and related literature.
Torah: The Five Books of Moses form the cornerstone of Jewish belief and study, and are the starting point for Jewish intellectual engagement.
Mishnah: Written in the early third century, the Mishnah is a compilation of Jewish legal rulings and teachings.
Gemara: Commentaries and discussions on the Mishnah.
Midrash: Rabbinic interpretations of biblical stories, designed to add meaning and depth to the text.
Halakha: Jewish law, covering all aspects of life, from dietary restrictions to prayer to business dealings and everything in between.
Haggadah: The non-legal component of the Talmudic literature, including homiletical interpretations and discussions of Jewish philosophy.
Jewish philosophy: The systematic examination of the beliefs and practices of Judaism, and an attempt to answer questions about the nature of God, the meaning of life, and the purpose of existence.
Jewish history: Understanding the events, movements, and personalities that have shaped the Jewish people throughout their history.
Jewish mysticism: Kabbalah and other mystical Jewish writings.
Hebrew language: Developing an understanding of the Hebrew language and its nuances can be useful when studying Jewish texts.
Gemara: The primary text of Talmudic studies which contains rabbinical discussions and debates on Jewish laws and traditions.
Halacha: The Jewish legal system derived from the Talmud, including laws and customs governing daily life.
Aggadah: A non-legal section of the Talmud that contains stories, ethical teachings, and sermons on moral behavior.
Hashkafa: The philosophical and theological exploration of Jewish beliefs and concepts.
Kabbalah: The mystical study of Jewish traditions and spirituality, including the esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew Bible.
Jewish History: The study of Jewish historical events and personalities throughout the ages.
Jewish Ethics: The moral principles and values that guide Jewish behavior in both a personal and communal context.
Jewish Literature: The study of Jewish literary works, such as the poetry, prose, and drama, including biblical and rabbinic texts.
Jewish Art and Architecture: Studies which focus on Jewish art, architecture, and decorative arts.
Jewish Music: The study of Jewish musical traditions, including folk songs, liturgical music, and contemporary compositions.
"Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewish cultural life and was foundational to 'all Jewish thought and aspirations'."
"[The Talmud] serves also as 'the guide for the daily life' of Jews."
"The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah...and the Gemara..."
"The Mishnah...is a written compendium of the Oral Torah."
"[The Gemara] is an elucidation of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Hebrew Bible."
"It is written in Mishnaic Hebrew and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic..."
"The entire Talmud consists of 63 tractates..."
"In the standard print, called the Vilna Shas, there are 2,711 double-sided folios."
"[The Talmud] contains the teachings and opinions of thousands of rabbis...on a variety of subjects, including halakha, Jewish ethics, philosophy, customs, history, and folklore, and many other topics."
"The Talmud is the basis for all codes of Jewish law..."
"It is written in Mishnaic Hebrew and Jewish Babylonian Aramaic..."
"[The Talmud] contains the teachings and opinions of thousands of rabbis (dating from before the Common Era through to the fifth century)..."
"[The Talmud] may also traditionally be called Shas (ש״ס)..."
"[The Talmud] is the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology."
"The term Talmud normally refers to the collection of writings named specifically the Babylonian Talmud..."
"...although there is also an earlier collection known as the Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi)."
"The Talmud is...widely quoted in rabbinic literature."
"...a Hebrew abbreviation of shisha sedarim, or the 'six orders' of the Mishnah."
"The Mishnah...[was written] c. 200 CE...and the Gemara... [was written] c. 500 CE."