Talmud

Talmud (Hebrew "doctrine" or "study"), the code of ancient laws and traditions accepted by the modern Jews. It exists in two forms - the Talmud of Jerusalem and that of Babylon - each of which comprises two parts, the Mishna or text and the Gemara or commentary. The work of compiling the Mishna was undertaken by the school of Hillel, and finally completed under the superintendence of Rabbi Jehudah Hannasi about the close of the 2nd century A.D. It is divided into six parts (entitled "Seeds or Fruits," "Feasts," "Women,"" Damages," "Sacrifices and Holy Things," "Purification"), embracing 63 treatises and 524 chapters. The Talmud of Jerusalem was produced at Tiberias, and is supposed to have reached its present form towards the close of the 4th century. The Babylonian Talmud, completed about 500 AD., was the work of Rabbi Ashe, of the Academy of Sora, and his disciple, Rabina.