You have 3 free guides left 😟
Unlock your guides
Unlock Cram Mode
You have 3 free guides left 😟
Unlock your guides

3.2 Development of Rabbinic Literature

7 min read•july 30, 2024

The and rabbinic literature form the backbone of Jewish law and tradition. These texts, developed over centuries, include the Mishnah, , and two Talmuds. They capture rabbis' interpretations of biblical laws and provide guidance for Jewish life.

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Medieval scholars like and further expanded on these works. Their commentaries and legal codes helped make complex rabbinic teachings more accessible. This body of literature continues to shape Jewish practice and thought to this day.

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

The Mishnah and Its Companion Texts

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Mishnah, compiled around 200 CE by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, codifies the and consists of legal rulings and discussions by rabbis known as the
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Tosefta, compiled in the 3rd century CE, serves as a companion volume to the Mishnah, containing additional legal material and commentary that supplements and expands upon the Mishnah (e.g., providing more detailed explanations of Mishnaic rulings)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

The Talmuds: Extensive Commentaries on the Mishnah

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The (Yerushalmi) and the (Bavli), compiled between the 4th and 6th centuries CE, provide expansive commentaries on the Mishnah, including legal discussions, biblical exegesis, stories, and ethical teachings by generations of rabbis known as the
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 - The Jerusalem Talmud, compiled in the Land of Israel, often focuses on agricultural laws and the religious practices of the Land of Israel
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 - The Babylonian Talmud, compiled in Babylonia, is considered more authoritative and is studied more widely due to its comprehensive nature and the fact that it was edited later than the Jerusalem Talmud
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • , developed concurrently with the Talmuds, focuses on biblical exegesis and interpretation and can be divided into two main genres:
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 1. [Halakhic midrash](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:halakhic_midrash): derives legal rulings from the biblical text (e.g., the Mekhilta on Exodus, the Sifra on Leviticus)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 2. [Aggadic midrash](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:aggadic_midrash): focuses on non-legal interpretations, including stories, homilies, and ethical teachings (e.g., Genesis Rabbah, Lamentations Rabbah)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Medieval Commentaries and Codes

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The , heads of the Babylonian academies from the 6th to 11th centuries CE, wrote responsa (legal rulings) and commentaries on the Talmud to clarify and codify Jewish law (e.g., She'iltot by Achai Gaon, Halachot Gedolot by Simeon Kayyara)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • Medieval rabbinic scholars, such as Rashi (11th century) and the Tosafists (12th-13th centuries), wrote extensive commentaries on the Talmud to explain, clarify, and sometimes challenge the Talmudic text (e.g., Rashi's commentary on the Talmud, Tosafot)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • In the 12th century, Maimonides (Rambam) composed the , a comprehensive code of Jewish law that aimed to systematize and make accessible the legal rulings scattered throughout the Talmud, serving as a major influence on later codes and halakhic decision-making
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Oral vs Written Torah in Rabbinic Tradition

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

The Relationship Between Oral and Written Torah

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • According to rabbinic tradition, the Torah consists of both the (Torah she-bi-khtav), referring to the Five Books of Moses, and the Oral Torah (Torah she-be-al peh), encompassing the interpretations, explanations, and laws transmitted orally from generation to generation
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The rabbis believed that the Oral Torah was given to Moses at Mount Sinai along with the Written Torah and was necessary to properly understand and apply the Written Torah (e.g., the Oral Torah explains how to fulfill the commandment of tefillin mentioned in the Written Torah)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

The Role of the Oral Torah

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Oral Torah serves to explain and expand upon the often terse and sometimes ambiguous laws and narratives in the Written Torah, providing details, explanations, and practical applications that were not explicit in the written text (e.g., the Oral Torah specifies the dimensions and materials for constructing a sukkah, which are not mentioned in the Written Torah)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The rabbis saw the Oral Torah as a living, dynamic tradition that allowed for the continued interpretation and application of the Written Torah in changing historical and social contexts (e.g., the Oral Torah's interpretation of "an eye for an eye" as monetary compensation rather than literal retribution)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

The Codification and Transmission of the Oral Torah

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Mishnah, compiled around 200 CE, represents the first major effort to codify the Oral Torah in writing to preserve the tradition in the face of Roman persecution and the dispersion of the Jewish people
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • While the Oral Torah was eventually recorded in the Mishnah and Talmud, the rabbis still emphasized the importance of oral transmission and the role of the teacher-student relationship in passing on the tradition (e.g., the Talmud states that one should acquire a teacher to study Torah properly)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The interplay between the Written and Oral Torah is evident in rabbinic literature, which often cites verses from the Written Torah as the basis for legal rulings and interpretations found in the Oral Torah (e.g., the Talmud derives the laws of Shabbat from verses in Exodus and Numbers)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Genres of Rabbinic Literature Beyond the Talmud

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Biblical Interpretation and Translation

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • Midrashic literature is a broad category that includes rabbinic works of biblical exegesis and interpretation, with two main types:
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 1. Halakhic midrash: focuses on deriving legal rulings from the biblical text (e.g., the Mekhilta on Exodus, Sifra on Leviticus, and Sifre on Numbers and Deuteronomy)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 2. Aggadic midrash: focuses on non-legal interpretations, including stories, homilies, and ethical teachings (e.g., Genesis Rabbah, Lamentations Rabbah, and Pesikta de-Rav Kahana)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • Targumim are Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible that often include additional explanatory material and interpretations (e.g., Targum Onkelos on the Torah and Targum Jonathan on the Prophets)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Legal Rulings and Codification

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • (she'elot u-teshuvot) consists of written rulings and opinions by rabbinic authorities in response to legal questions posed to them, playing an important role in the development of Jewish law from the Geonic period to the present day (e.g., the responsa of the Geonim, Rashi, and Maimonides)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • Codes of Jewish law aim to systematize and codify the legal rulings found in the Talmud and other rabbinic literature, with major codes including:
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 1. Mishneh Torah by Maimonides (12th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 2. [Arba'ah Turim](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:arba'ah_turim) by Jacob ben Asher (13th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 3. [Shulchan Aruch](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:Shulchan_Aruch) by Joseph Karo (16th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Mystical and Philosophical Works

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • , which developed from the 12th century onward, focuses on Jewish mysticism and esoteric interpretations of the Torah, with major works including the , attributed to Moses de León (13th century), and the writings of Isaac Luria (16th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • Philosophical works by medieval Jewish thinkers often grapple with the relationship between Judaism and rational thought, with major works including:
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 1. [Saadia Gaon](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:Saadia_Gaon)'s Book of Beliefs and Opinions (10th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 2. Maimonides' [Guide for the Perplexed](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:Guide_for_the_Perplexed) (12th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

 
 3. [Judah Halevi's Kuzari](https://www.fiveableKeyTerm:Judah_Halevi's_Kuzari) (12th century)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Social and Cultural Contexts of Rabbinic Literature

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Historical Events and Their Impact

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and the loss of Jewish political autonomy led to a shift in religious authority from the priesthood to the rabbis, necessitating the development of a new body of literature to guide Jewish life and practice
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The spread of the Jewish diaspora, particularly after the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 CE, created a need for a portable, written tradition that could be studied and followed by Jews living in diverse locations and contexts (e.g., the Babylonian Talmud became the primary text for Jewish communities in the diaspora)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Roman persecution of Jews, particularly under Hadrian in the 2nd century CE, created a sense of urgency among the rabbis to preserve the Oral Torah in writing, leading to the compilation of the Mishnah and other early rabbinic works
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Interaction with Other Cultures and Religions

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The encounter with Hellenistic culture and philosophy, particularly in the Land of Israel and Alexandria, influenced the development of rabbinic literature, with rabbis grappling with the challenge of maintaining Jewish identity and practice while engaging with Greek thought and culture (e.g., Philo of Alexandria's allegorical interpretations of the Bible)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The rise of Christianity and its emergence as a distinct religion posed a theological and social challenge to the rabbis, with rabbinic literature often reflecting this tension through polemical passages and a focus on defining Jewish identity and practice in contrast to Christianity (e.g., the Talmud's discussions of the differences between Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Islamic conquest of the Middle East and North Africa in the 7th century CE brought Jews under Muslim rule, leading to a flourishing of Jewish culture and scholarship, particularly in Babylonia and Spain, and the development of new genres of rabbinic literature, such as responsa and philosophical works (e.g., Saadia Gaon's Book of Beliefs and Opinions, which engages with Islamic theology and philosophy)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Challenges and Responses in the Middle Ages

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The Crusades and the expulsion of Jews from various European countries in the Middle Ages created a sense of instability and dislocation among Jewish communities, with rabbinic literature from this period often reflecting a concern with maintaining Jewish unity and identity in the face of external threats (e.g., the Sefer Hasidim's emphasis on Jewish solidarity and mutual support)
Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Rabbinic Literature: From Mishnah to Commentaries

1 of 3
  • The development of Kabbalah in the medieval period can be seen as a response to the challenges faced by Jewish communities, providing a mystical and spiritual framework for understanding and coping with suffering and exile (e.g., the Zohar's portrayal of the exile as a cosmic process of divine restoration)
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
Fiveable
About Us
About FiveableBlogCareersTestimonialsCode of ConductTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyCCPA Privacy Policy
Resources
Cram ModeAP Score CalculatorsStudy GuidesPractice QuizzesGlossaryCrisis Text LineRequest a Feature
Stay Connected
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
About Us
About FiveableBlogCareersTestimonialsCode of ConductTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyCCPA Privacy Policy
Resources
Cram ModeAP Score CalculatorsStudy GuidesPractice QuizzesGlossaryCrisis Text LineRequest a Feature
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
Back
Glossary
Glossary
Next