of the Emperor Hadrian.70 71 But the authoritative collection in the so-called Mishnah is the
work of Jehudah the Holy, who died about the end of the second century of our era.
69. See the learned remarks of Levy about the reasons for the earlier prohibition of writing down the oral
law, and the final collection of the Mishnah (Neuhebr. u. Chald. Wörterb. vol. ii. p. 435).
70. 132-135 a.d.
71. These collections are enumerated in the Midrash on Eccles. xii. 3. They are also distinguished as
`the former' and `the later' Mishnah (Nedar. 91 a).
Altogether, the Mishnah comprises six `Orders' (Sedarim), each devoted to a special class of
subjects.72 These `Orders' are divided into tractates (Massikhtoth, Massekhtiyoth, `textures,
webs'), of which there are sixty-three (or else sixty-two) in all. These tractates are again
subdivided into chapters (Peraqim ) - in all 525, which severally consist of a certain number of
verses, or Mishnahs (Mishnayoth, in all 4,187). Considering the variety and complexity of the
subjects treated, the Mishnah is arranged with remarkable logical perspicuity. The language is
Hebrew, though of course not that of the Old Testament. The words rendered necessary by the
new circumstances are chiefly derived from the Greek, the Syriac, and the Latin, with Hebrew
terminations.73 But all connected with social intercourse, or ordinary life (such as contracts), is
written, not in Hebrew, but in Aramæan, as the language of the people.
72. The first `Order' (Zeraim, `seeds') begins with the ordinances concerning `benedictions,' or the
time, mode, manner, and character of the prayers prescribed. It then goes on to detail what may be
called the religio -agrarian laws (such as tithing, Sabbatical years, first fruits, &c.). The second `Order'
(Moed, `festive time') discusses all connected with the Sabbath observance and the other festivals. The
third `Order' (Nashim, `women') treats of all that concerns betrothal, marriage and divorce, but also
includes a tractate on the Nasirate. The fourth `Order' (Neziqin, `damages') contains the civil and
criminal law. Characteristically, it includes all the ordinances concerning idol-worship (in the tractate
Abhodah Zarah) and `the sayings of the Fathers' (Abhoth). The fifth `Order' (Qodashim, `holy things')
treats of the various classes of sacrifices, offerings, and things belonging (as the first-born), or
dedicated, to God, and of all questions which can be grouped under `sacred things' (such as the
redemption, exchange, or alienation of what had been dedicated to God). It also includes the laws
concerning the daily morning and evening service (Tamid), and a description of the structure and
arrangements of the Temple (Middoth, `the measurements'). Finally, the sixth `Order' (Toharoth,
`cleannesses') gives every ordinance connected with the questions of `clean and unclean,' alike as
regards human beings, animals, and inanimate things.
73. Comp. the very interesting tractate by Dr. Brüll (Fremdspr Redensart in d. Talmud), as well as Dr.
Eisler's Beiträge z. Rabb. u. Alterthumsk., 3 fascic; Sachs, Beitr. z. Rabb u. Alterthumsk.
But the traditional law embodied other materials than the Halakhoth collected in the Mishnah.
Some that had not been recorded there, found a place in the works of certain Rabbis, or were
derived from their schools. These are called Boraithas - that is, traditions external to the
Mishnah. Finally, there were `additions' (or Tosephtoth), dating after the completion of the
Mishnah, but probably not later than the third century of our era. Such there are to not fewer
than fifty-two out of the sixty-three Mishnic tractates. When speaking of the Halakhah as
distinguished from the Haggadah, we must not, however, suppose that the latter could be
entirely separated from it. In point of fact, one whole tractate in the Mishnah (Aboth: The