The Talmud is the Jewish law as passed down through the generations by word of mouth. It is distinguished from the written law (Torah). The Talmud, a mixture of laws and narrative, was finally compiled in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD in Palestine. A second version, with considerable variations, was recorded in Babylon a little later.
The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah (c. 200 CE), the first written compendium of Judaism’s oral law; and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), a discussion of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Tanakh.
Define Talmud from the Time of Its Formation? The terms Talmud and Gemara are often used interchangeably. The Gemara is the basis for all codes of rabbinic law and is often quoted in other rabbinic literature. The whole Talmud is also traditionally referred to as Shas (ש”ס), a Hebrew abbreviation of shisha sedarim, the “six orders” of the Mishnah.
What Is the Difference Between the Torah and the Talmud?
The Torah and Talmud together form the background of Judaism today. The Torah refers to the Five Books of Moses (also known as the Pentateuch), which for Jews are the core part of the Jewish faith and the source of the main laws and ethics.
The Talmud is a record of the rabbinic debates in the 2nd–5th centuries on the teachings of the Torah, both trying to understand how they apply and seeking answers for the situations they themselves were encountering.
Content for this question contributed by Leah Olivares, resident of Berea, Cuyahago County, Ohio, USA
