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    Chapter 1 · Intro - the page shape

    What is the Talmud? Bavli, Yerushalmi, the order of the Shas

    Lesson 1 of 18 18 min

    The Talmud is a library, not a single book. We map the Shas - 6 orders, 60 tractates, two Talmuds - and see how it is built.

    Lesson goals
    • 01Tell Mishna, Bavli, and Yerushalmi apart
    • 02Recognize the 6 orders and what each contains
    • 03Decide why we learn Bavli and when to open the Yerushalmi
    01

    The Talmud: A Complete Library

    The Talmud is not a single book by one author. It's a vast collection of discussions, laws, and narratives compiled and edited over centuries. It's a complete intellectual enterprise, an immense spiritual library.

    At the core of the Talmud stands the 'Mishnah.' The Mishnah is the first legal code of the Oral Torah, redacted by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi approximately 1800 years ago. It is written in concise, clear language, forming the backbone for all Talmudic discussion.

    משנה, אבות א, א
    משה קבל תורה מסיני ומסרה ליהושע, ויהושע לזקנים, וזקנים לנביאים, ונביאים מסרוה לאנשי כנסת הגדולה.

    Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly.

    Insight

    The Mishnah is the foundation. The Talmuds – both Bavli and Yerushalmi – are the commentary, analysis, and expansion of the Mishnah. They build many stories upon its foundations.

    02

    Two Talmuds: Bavli and Yerushalmi

    After the Mishnah's redaction, two major Torah centers emerged: one in the Land of Israel (Jerusalem and Tiberias) and one in Babylonia. In each center, an independent discussion developed around the Mishnah.

    תלמוד בבליTalmud Bavli
    The discussions and laws compiled and edited in Babylonia. It is longer, more comprehensive, and detailed, finalized around 500 CE. This is the most widely studied and prevalent Talmud.
    תלמוד ירושלמיTalmud Yerushalmi
    The discussions and laws compiled and edited in the Land of Israel. It is shorter, sometimes more obscure, and was finalized earlier, around 400 CE. Less studied, but crucial for understanding Halakha and custom in the Land of Israel.
    Insight

    Most Talmud study today focuses on the Babylonian Talmud. It is considered the supreme halakhic authority and serves as the central 'curriculum' in the yeshiva world.

    03

    The Roadmap: The Six Orders of the Mishnah and Shas

    The Mishnah, and consequently the Talmuds, is divided into six main sections, called 'Orders' (Sedarim). Each order deals with a broad halakhic area, and is further divided into smaller tractates (Masekhtot).

    1. 1Seder Zera'im (Seeds): Laws of agriculture, blessings, and prayers.
    2. 2Seder Mo'ed (Appointed Time): Laws of Shabbat, festivals, and holidays.
    3. 3Seder Nashim (Women): Laws of marriage, divorce, and family relations.
    4. 4Seder Nezikin (Damages): Laws of monetary damages, punishments, courts, and ethics (Masekhet Avot).
    5. 5Seder Kodashim (Holy Things): Laws of the Temple, sacrifices, and kashrut of meat.
    6. 6Seder Taharot (Purities): Laws of ritual impurity and purity.
    Insight

    Knowing the Orders is key to navigating the Talmud. It provides us with an overarching structure, an understanding of where to look for a specific topic, and context for each tractate.

    04

    Why Bavli? And When Yerushalmi?

    The Babylonian Talmud became the primary 'Talmud' due to its comprehensive, clear, and detailed redaction. It covers almost all topics found in the Yerushalmi, with added expansions and rich discussions.

    Kushya

    If the Bavli is so comprehensive, why bother studying the Yerushalmi at all?

    Terutz

    The Yerushalmi is especially important for topics directly related to the Land of Israel (like agricultural laws, Seder Zera'im). Additionally, it sometimes offers a different understanding or complements the Bavli, and serves as an earlier source for the traditions of the Land of Israel.

    We build our foundations on the Babylonian Talmud, but always remember there's a whole other world of Torah in the Yerushalmi, waiting to be discovered.

    Practice

    Sketch a 6-order board and add one tractate you already know to each.

    Lesson wrap-up

    The Shas is a map. Know the map and you never get lost.

    Check your understanding

    Test yourself before marking the lesson complete.

    Question 1 of 4

    What is the fundamental difference between 'Mishnah' and 'Talmud'?

    Next lessonThe page layout - Rashi, Tosafot, Masoret HaShas, Ein Mishpat