The Talmud

The Talmud is the most important collection of Jewish writings after the Bible, often referred to as the “Jewish Scroll of Wisdom.” After the hope for an independent Jewish nation was crushed by the Roman Empire in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, the Jewish people turned their focus to the study and compilation of their traditional laws. The Talmud consists of 63 volumes, over 12,000 pages, and more than 2.5 million words, and is composed of three main parts: the Oral Law, the Mishnah; commentaries on the Oral Law, the Gemara; and biblical commentaries, the Midrash.

Jewish rabbis have always believed that in addition to the written Torah, there was an accompanying oral tradition that was passed down. The Talmud is the book that records these oral traditions and customs, detailing behavioral norms for every stage of life and the development of a person’s values. It is the crystallized result of the Jewish people’s exploration of their history, culture, and wisdom.

Since the middle of the 2nd century AD, the behavioral and moral codes passed down through generations of Jews, both orally and in writing, were all compiled into the legal collection known as the Mishnah. Later, after discussions among Jewish scholars and changes over time, other Jewish scholars compiled the Gemara to comment on the Mishnah. Subsequently, the Midrash was further added. “Midrash” means “explanation” or “interpretation.” It is the Jewish rabbinic commentary on the Old Testament, with its earliest forms appearing in the 2nd century AD and the final works being compiled between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. The Midrash uses rich imagination to expand on certain scriptures, making the events described in the text more vivid and dynamic.

The Talmud is the comprehensive collection of Jewish law, thought, and tradition. To date, it has been translated into twelve languages. Jews scattered across the world, transcending differences in geography, customs, and language, are bound together by the Talmud.