Talmud of Babylon

The treaties of the Talmud of Babylon are gathered, just like Mishna which forms the base of it, in six orders called Sédarim . Each treaty approaches a main theme and very many other topics as varied as unexpected.

History of Talmud of Babylon

After the compilation of the Mishna (towards 200), the Wise ones undertook to look further into and widen its study, at the same time in Palestine (what gave place to Talmud of Jerusalem) and in the Babylonian diaspora (Talmud of Babylon). These wise is called the Amoraïm (what means the commentators).

The study of Mishna included/understood the research of the reasoning behind the Halakhot and the revelation of the dependence of the Torah in Halakhot of Mishna. The debate around subjects raised in Talmud includes the discussions which were held in Israel and in the Diaspora.

Each page of Talmud includes/understands also the Mishna yot and the references indicated by the word " Matni " (abbreviation of Matnitine , Mishna in Araméen). After each section of Mishna, the Gémara writes the references in letters " Gam " (abbreviation of Gémara ) which means: Talmudique discusses.

Talmud of Babylon, compiled within the Babylonian diaspora, around the Life century of our era, very complete, well-known and is studied as more as Talmud of Jerusalem. He is written in Araméen interfered Hebrew. The order of Talmud and the order of the various covered subjects were fixed at different times, by the Amoraïm.

The first treaty was printed in 1475. In 1520 for the first time, the entirety of Babylonian Talmud was printed with Venice.

Interpretation and new concepts of Talmud

Talmud of Babylon is accompanied by comments by Rashi (1040-1105). With time, other comments were added. Among those, one can mention the work written in the Baté Midrash in France and Germany during XIIe and XIIIe centuries, called the Tossafot.

In addition to the comments of Rashi, new concepts ( Hidoush ) of Gémara were written in Tossafot and other annotations. The first book of new concepts was Hidoushé HaRamban of Nahmanide (1194-1270). It was followed of: Hidoushé haRashba of Rabbi Shlomo Ben Aderet (1235-1310) and Hidoushé HaRitva of Yom Tov Asevilli (1250-1330) as well as Rav Menahem HaMéiri - Beit HaBéhira (1249-1315) and the Shita Mékoubetset of the Rabbi Bétsalel Ashkénazi of Jerusalem (of XVIe century).

Composition of Talmud of Babylon

I - Zéra' im (seeds)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the Agriculture and the blessings. It is composed of the single treaty (for the Babylonian version):

bérakhot : (blessings)

II - Mo' ED (go/festival)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the calendar like the Chabbat and the festivals. It is composed of 12 treaties:

Chabbat : laws of chabbat, mainly, thirty-nine classes jobs ( melakhot ) prohibited by the Torah as well as the interdicts imposed by the Wise as additional precautions.
Erouvin : there laws of Chabbat relating to the private fields where, by rabbinical decree, it is interdict to carry, as well as the means allowing to amalgamate such fields in order to be able to carry; the distance from 2000 amot around the place of residence of a person, beyond whom one cannot go the chabbat ( te' houm chabbat ), and the means of increasing this distance in a direction.
Péssa'him : laws of the hametz and the Matza, the sacrifice of Pessah and the Seder.
Chékalim : laws concerning the renewal fees of a half Shekel of which each one was to discharge, and who was used to finance the Community offerings in the Temple.
Yoma : laws of Yom Kippour (primarily service of the Temple in this day) and laws relating to this day of fast.
Soucca : laws of Souccot, such as the construction of the soucca , and obligation to live there, Four Species , the festival of Sim' ha Beit HaChoéva which took place in the Temple, and Hoshanna Rabba.
Beitsa : laws specific to the achievement of work feastdays; detailed approach of the many laws of mouktsé which apply at the same time to the chabbat and with the festivals.
Roch hachana : procedure allowing to determine the date of the new moon and its advertisement, the rules of the Chofar and the order of the ringings, the prayers of Roch Hachana.
Taanit : special prayers added to the daily prayers to ask for the rain, the days of fast issued during the periods of dryness, war or generalized danger, the laws of Tisha Beav.
Méguila : laws of Pourim and the reading of the Meguilat Esther, laws concerning the Synagog and reading of the Torah. Treated in which one sees discussing of the authenticity of some biblical texts by comparing Greek testimonys and Hebrew.
Mo' ED katane: laws of Hol HaMoèd (Intermediate Feastdays), laws of mourning.
Haguiga : the obligation which has each adult Jewish man to present in the Temple at the time of the Three Festivals of Pilgrimage and the offering specific to the festival which each pleasing pilgrim on this occasion.

III - Nachim (women)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the Mariage and subjects which there are dependant like the Divorce or the marital fidelity but also of the wishes and the naziréen. It is composed of the 7 treaties:

yévamot :
ketouvot : treats contracts of Mariage and rules of the good marriage.
nédarim :
nazir : treaty which evokes lives of ascetics and gives rules of Sanctification, in particular around the nezirat.
sota :
guitine :
kidouchine :

IV - Nézikin (damage)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the civil laws and penal, Idolâtrie, of ethics and morals. It is composed of 8 treaties:

baba kama:
baba metsi' a:
baba will batra:
sanhédrine :
makot :
chevou'ot :
avoda zara :
horayot :

V - Kodachim (crowned objects)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the ritual slaughter (che' hita), with the Sacrifices and the Temple. It is composed of 9 treaties:

zéva'him :
ména'hot :
houline :
békhorot :
arakhine :
témoura :
kritout :
mé'ila :
tamid :

VI - Taharot (purities)

This order treats mainly relative laws with the purity and the ritual impurity. It is composed of the single treaty (for Talmud):

honeycomb: treats rules of purity, in particular female but also of filiation.

External bonds

Talmud of Babylon in its entirety (Hebrew)

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