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Rabbinic literature

(c. 100 BCE – 500 CE)

  1. Overviews
    1.  Introduction to the Torah, Oral Torah, Mishnah, and Talmud by Benny Goldstein (14 animated lessons, with simple explanations, but they assume some knowledge of Hebrew, e.g., the tradition of calling God ha shēm–“The Name.” Even when Hebrew names are explained, these explained terms are subsequently used without repeating the explanation, so its is crucial to go through all 14 lessons in order.)
    2. Jewish Encyclopedia (on-line version of complete 12-volume compendium [1901–06])
    3. Chronological table of the tanna’itic and amoraic periods
  2. Tanna’itic period (10–220 CE) . . .
    1. Targumim
      1. Targum Yonatan ben ‘Uzziel to the Torah (intro. only)
      2. Targum Yerushalmi to the Torah (intro. only)
    2. Mishnah (200 CE. . .)
      1. Resources for study:
        1. Intro. to the Mishnah
        2. The Mishna as Illustrating the Gospels by W. H. Bennett (1884)
      2. English:
        1. Recommended for purchase:
        2. Online access: Open Mishnah Project (more to be added)
        3. Pirqe Aboth in Tractate Neziqin (Sayings of the Jewish Fathers)
        4. Tractate Middot (description of the Second Temple, c.
          100 CE)           [TOP]
      3. Hebrew (no accompanying English)
        1. Mishna on Demand
        2. Mamre edition of Mishna (no vowels)
  3. Amoraic period (220–500 CE)
    1. Resources for study
      1. R. Travers Herford – Christianity in Talmud & Midrash (1903) – explores rabbinic references to Jesus and to Christians
      2. Recommended for purchase: Hermann Strack, Introduction to the Talmud & Midrash (rev. ed., 1992).
    2. Tosefta (220–230 CE)
      1. Resources for study:
        1. Intro. to the Tosefta
        2. Eng. transl. of excerpts
    3. Eng. transl. – Sefaria.org
    4. Talmud
      1. Resources for study:
        1. H. L. Stack und Paul Billerbeck – Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch: 1. Das Evangelium nach Matthäus (1922) (Matthew) | 2. Das Evangelium nach Markus, Lukas und Johannes und die Apostelgeschichte (1924) (Mark – Acts) | 3. Die Briefe des Neuen Testaments und die Offenbarung Johannis (1926) (Epistles and the Apocalypse) | 4. Exkurse zu einzelnen Stellen des Neuen Testaments (1928) (Essays on Individual Passages) | 5. Rabbinischer Index (1954) (Rabbinic Index) | 6. Verzeichnis der Schriftgelehrten. Geographisches Register (1922) (Directory of Scribes and Geographic Register)
      2. Jerusalem Talmud (400 CE)
        1. A Guide to the JT by Hershey Zelcer (2002)
        2. Intro. to the Palestinian Talmud (JT)
        3. Text of Jerusalem Talmud (Hebrew only)
          iv. Eng. translation – Sefaria.org
      3. Babylonian Talmud (c. 427–560CE)
        1. Resources for study:
        2. Eng. transl. of Babylonian Talmud | Access through Sefaria.org
        3. Soncino Babylonian Talmud – Eng. transl. Many tractates posted.
    5. Midrash (400–500 CE)
      1. Resources for study:
        1. Intro. & Eng. transl. of excerpts
        2. Tales & Maxims from the Midrash (1907) by Samuel Rapaport (Extensive excepts in English)
      2. Eng. transl. – Mekhilta of R. Yishmael
    6. Kabbalah (Mystical interpretation)
      1. Resources for study:
        1. Intro. & excerpts in Eng. transl.
        2. Kabbalah Unveiled (1912) by Knorr von Rosenroth, trans. S. L. MacGregor Mathers (Extensive introduction to Kabbalah)
      2. Eng. transl. – Sefaria.org
    7. Haggadah (Legends about biblical characters)
      1. Resources for study:
        1. What is haggadah? (Encylopaedia Britannica article)
        2. Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginsberg  [TOP]
      2. Eng. transl. – Sefaria.org
    8. Medieval rabbinics (“The Rishonim” or “The First Ones” – 1000-1550 CE)
        1. RASHI (Solomon bar Isaac – 1040-1105 CE) – Video lecture about Rashi | Commentary on the Hebrew Bible: Torah | Nevi’im | Kethubim
        2. RAMBAM (Maimonides or Moses ben Maimon – 1135-1204 CE) – Mishneh Torah
        3. RAMBAN (Moses ben Nahman – 1194-1270 CE) – Wikipedia article | Video lecture about RAMBAN (lecture starts at 8:20) |
        4. RASHBA (Solomon ben Avraham ibn Aderet – 1235-1310 CE)
          – Wikipedia article | Video lecture about RASHBA (starts at 5:30)