What Is It?

Talmud 101

An overview of Mishnah, Talmud, and Gemara.


What the Talmud is and is not, and how and why the Talmud has been studied for generations.

Talmud: An Explanation

There is no getting away from the Babylonian Talmud--love it, hate it, or both.

A Tale of Two Talmuds

The Bavli and Yerushalmi have much in common but also reflect differences in language, length, and cultural context.


Teachings transmitted by the rabbis in the centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple.

Major Figures


A scholar in her own right.


The preeminent rabbi of first century Palestine.

Rabbi Akiba

The story of Rabbi Akiba's life is full of legend and myth.

Judah the Prince

Editor of the Mishnah.

Johanan ben Zakkai

This student of Hillel contributed to the continued study of Torah and the protection of the Sanhedrin.



The Mishnah is Judaism's first major canonical document following the Bible.

Which Came First?

The Mishnah or the Tosefta?

Maimonides on the Orders

The sequence of the six orders of Mishnah follows the precedent of Scripture.

Mishnah and its Times

The Mishnah reflects an attempt by the rabbis to create an eternal Judaism.

The Mishnah Kehati

By Pinhas Kehati

Studying Talmud

Studying Talmud

Some perspective for beginners.

In Jewish Culture


At Universities

Ancient Jewish law and legend embraced by the academy.

Havruta Learning in Pairs

The study of Torah is, more often than not, a social and even communal activity.

Rereading the Rabbis: A Woman’s Voice

by Judith Hauptman