Talmud

The Talmud (Hebrew: תלמוד, "instruction, learning") is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism. It is a comprehensive record of Jewish law, theology, philosophy, customs, and history. The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah, a written compendium of Jewish oral traditions, and the Gemara, an elucidation of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures into other topics as well. The Talmud is the basis for all codes of Jewish law and is much quoted in other Jewish literature. The term "Talmud" is derived from the Hebrew verb lamad (למד), meaning "to learn, to study". In Arabic, it is known as التلمود (al-Talmūd), and in Greek as Ταλμούδ (Talmoúd). The Talmud is the result of a centuries-long process of discussion, debate, and interpretation of the Mishnah and other early rabbinic traditions. It contains the teachings of hundreds of rabbis over a period of about 500 years, from circa 10 CE to circa 500 CE. The Talmud is divided into different tractates, each of which covers a specific topic, such as prayer, holidays, or marriage. It is traditionally studied in Jewish educational institutions known as yeshivot (Hebrew: ישיבות).