Rabbinic literature - Wikipedia Rabbinic literature From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Collective term for Classic Jewish literature, written by, or attributed to the rabbis who lived prior to the 6th century See also: Chazal, Rabbinic Judaism, and Oral Torah Part of a series on Jews and Judaism Etymology Who is a Jew? 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However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal (Hebrew: ספרות חז״ל‎ "Literature [of our] sages," where Hazal normally refers only to the sages of the Talmudic era). This more specific sense of "Rabbinic literature"—referring to the Talmudim, Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש‎), and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing. On the other hand, the terms meforshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts. This article discusses rabbinic literature in both senses. It begins with the classic rabbinic literature of the Talmudic era (Sifrut Hazal), and then adds a broad survey of rabbinic writing from later periods. Contents 1 Mishnaic literature 2 The Midrash 3 Later works by category 3.1 Aggada 3.2 Hasidic thought 3.3 Hebrew poetry 3.4 Jewish liturgy 3.5 Jewish philosophy 3.6 Kabbalah 3.7 Jewish law 3.8 Musar literature 4 Later works by historical period 4.1 Works of the Geonim 4.2 Works of the Rishonim (the "early" rabbinical commentators) 4.3 Works of the Acharonim (the "later" rabbinical commentators) 5 Meforshim 5.1 Classic Torah and Talmud commentaries 5.2 Modern Torah commentaries 5.3 Modern Siddur commentaries 6 See also 6.1 Biblical figures in rabbinic literature 7 Bibliography 8 External links 8.1 General 8.2 Links to full text resources 8.3 Glossaries Mishnaic literature[edit] The Mishnah and the Tosefta (compiled from materials pre-dating the year 200 CE) are the earliest extant works of rabbinic literature, expounding and developing Judaism's Oral Law, as well as ethical teachings. Following these came the two Talmuds: The Gemara, analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah, c. 350–400 CE. The Jerusalem Talmud, c. 450 CE The Babylonian Talmud, full canonization of the all previous texts c. 600 CE. The minor tractates (part of the Babylonian Talmud) The Midrash[edit] Main article: Midrash Midrash (pl. Midrashim) is a Hebrew word referring to a method of reading details into, or out of, a biblical text. The term midrash also can refer to a compilation of Midrashic teachings, in the form of legal, exegetical, homiletical, or narrative writing, often configured as a commentary on the Bible or Mishnah. There are a large number of "classical" Midrashic works spanning a period from Mishnaic to Geonic times, often showing evidence of having been worked and reworked from earlier materials, and frequently coming to us in multiple variants. A compact list of these works [based on (Holtz 1984) harv error: no target: CITEREFHoltz1984 (help)] is given below; a more thorough annotated list can be found under Midrash. The timeline below must be approximate because many of these works were composed over a long span of time, borrowing and collating material from earlier versions; their histories are therefore somewhat uncertain and the subject of scholarly debate. In the table, "n.e." designates that the work in question is not extant except in secondary references. Extra-canonical rabbinical literature ("n.e." designates "not extant") Estimated date Exegetical Homiletical Narrative Tannaitic period (till 200 CE) Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Mekhilta of Rabbi Shimon Mekilta le-Sefer Devarim (n.e.) Sifra Sifre Sifre Zutta Alphabet of Akiba ben Joseph (?) Seder Olam Rabbah 400–650 CE Genesis Rabbah Lamentations Rabbah Leviticus Rabbah 650–900 CE Midrash Proverbs Midrash Tanhuma Ecclesiastes Rabbah Deuteronomy Rabbah Pesikta de-Rav Kahana Pesikta Rabbati Avot of Rabbi Natan Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer Seder Olam Zutta Tanna Devei Eliyahu 900–1000 CE Midrash Psalms Exodus Rabbah Ruth Zuta Lamentations Zuta 1000–1200 Midrash Aggadah of Moses ha-Darshan Midrash Tadshe Later Yalkut Shimoni Midrash ha-Gadol Ein Yaakov Numbers Rabbah Sefer ha-Yashar Later works by category[edit] Aggada[edit] Main article: Aggadah Alphabet of Rabbi Akiva Ein Yaakov Legends of the Jews Midrash HaGadol Midrash Hashkem Midrash Rabba Midrash Shmuel Midrash Tehillim Pesikta de-Rav Kahana Pesikta Rabbati Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer Seder Olam Rabbah Seder Olam Zutta Sefer HaAggadah Sefer haYashar (midrash) Smaller midrashim Tanhuma Tanna Devei Eliyahu Tseno Ureno Yalkut Shimoni Hasidic thought[edit] Main article: Hasidic philosophy Kedushas Levi Tanya Hebrew poetry[edit] Main article: Hebrew poetry Biblical poetry Medieval Hebrew poetry Jewish liturgy[edit] Main article: Jewish liturgy Piyyut Siddur Jewish philosophy[edit] Main article: Jewish philosophy Bachya ibn Pakuda Chovot HaLevavot Emunot v'Dayyot Guide for the Perplexed Isaac Israeli ben Solomon Kuzari Or Adonai Philo Sefer ha-Ikkarim Wars of the Lord Kabbalah[edit] Main article: Kabbalah Etz Chaim Maggid Mesharim Pardes Rimonim Sefer haBahir Sefer Raziel HaMalakh Sefer Yetzirah Tikunei haZohar Tomer Devorah Zohar Jewish law[edit] Main article: Halakha Arba'ah Turim Aruch HaShulchan Beit Yosef Chayei Adam Darkhei Moshe Halachot Gedolot Hilchot HaRif Kessef Mishneh Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Minchat Chinuch Mishnah Berurah Mishneh Torah Responsa literature Sefer ha-Chinuch Sefer Hamitzvot Sefer Mitzvot Gadol Shulchan Aruch Shulchan Aruch HaRav Musar literature[edit] Main article: Musar literature Mesillat Yesharim Orchot Tzaddikim Sefer Chasidim Shaarei Teshuva Later works by historical period[edit] Works of the Geonim[edit] The Geonim are the rabbis of Sura and Pumbeditha, in Babylon (650 - 1250) : She'iltoth of Acha'i [Gaon] Halachot Gedolot Halachot Pesukot, by Rav Yehudai Gaon Emunoth ve-Deoth (Saadia Gaon) The Siddur by Amram Gaon Responsa Works of the Rishonim (the "early" rabbinical commentators)[edit] The Rishonim are the rabbis of the early medieval period (1000 - 1550) The commentaries on the Torah, such as those by Rashi, Abraham ibn Ezra and Nahmanides. Commentaries on the Talmud, principally by Rashi, his grandson Samuel ben Meir and Nissim of Gerona. Commentaries on the Mishnah, such as those composed by Maimonides, Obadiah of Bertinoro, and Nathan ben Abraham Talmudic novellae (chiddushim) by Tosafists, Nahmanides, Nissim of Gerona, Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA), Yomtov ben Ashbili (Ritva) Works of halakha (Asher ben Yechiel, Mordechai ben Hillel) Codices by Maimonides and Jacob ben Asher, and finally Shulkhan Arukh Responsa, e.g. by Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA) Kabbalistic works (such as the Zohar) Philosophical works (Maimonides, Gersonides, Nahmanides) Ethical works (Bahya ibn Paquda, Jonah of Gerona) Works of the Acharonim (the "later" rabbinical commentators)[edit] The Acharonim are the rabbis from 1550 to the present day. Important Torah commentaries include Keli Yakar (Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz), Ohr ha-Chayim by Chayim ben-Attar, the commentary of Samson Raphael Hirsch, and the commentary of Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin. Important works of Talmudic novellae include: Pnei Yehoshua, Hafla'ah, Sha'agath Aryei Responsa, e.g. by Moses Sofer, Moshe Feinstein Works of halakha and codices e.g. Mishnah Berurah by Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Aruch ha-Shulchan by Yechiel Michel Epstein Ethical and philosophical works: Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Mussar Movement Hasidic works (Kedushath Levi, Sefath Emmeth, Shem mi-Shemuel) Philosophical/metaphysical works (the works of the Maharal of Prague, Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and Nefesh ha-Chayim by Chaim of Volozhin) Mystical works Historical works, e.g. Shem ha-Gedolim by Chaim Joseph David Azulai. Meforshim[edit] Meforshim is a Hebrew word meaning "commentators" (or roughly meaning "exegetes"), Perushim means "commentaries". In Judaism these words refer to commentaries on the Torah (five books of Moses), Tanakh, Mishnah, Talmud, the responsa literature, or even the siddur (Jewish prayerbook), and more. Classic Torah and Talmud commentaries[edit] Classic Torah and/or Talmud commentaries have been written by the following individuals: Geonim Saadia Gaon, 10th century Babylon Rishonim Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki), 12th century France Abraham ibn Ezra Nachmanides (Moshe ben Nahman) Samuel ben Meir, the Rashbam, 12th century France Gersonides, also known as Levi ben Gershom or Ralbag) David Kimhi, the Radak, 13th century France Joseph ben Isaac Bekhor Shor, 12th century France Nissim of Gerona, also known as Nissim ben Reuben Gerondi, or the RaN, 14th century Spain Isaac Abarbanel (1437–1508) Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, 16th century Italy Acharonim The Vilna Gaon, also known as Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, 18th century Lithuania The Malbim, Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser Classical Talmudic commentaries were written by Rashi. After Rashi the Tosafot were written, which was an omnibus commentary on the Talmud by the disciples and descendants of Rashi; this commentary was based on discussions done in the rabbinic academies of Germany and France.[citation needed] Modern Torah commentaries[edit] Modern Torah commentaries which have received wide acclaim in the Jewish community include: Haemek Davar by Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin The Chofetz Chaim Torah Temimah of Baruch ha-Levi Epstein Kerem HaTzvi, by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber Sefat Emet (Lips of Truth), Yehudah Aryeh Leib of Ger, 19th century Europe The "Pentateuch and Haftaras" by Joseph H. Hertz Uebersetzung und Erklärung des Pentateuchs ("Translation and Commentary of the Pentateuch") by Samson Raphael Hirsch Nechama Leibowitz, a noted woman scholar HaTorah vehaMitzva ("The Torah and the Commandment") by Meïr Leibush, the "Malbim" Ha-Ketav veha-Kabbalah by Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg The Soncino Books of the Bible Richard Elliot Friedman's Commentary on the Torah (2001) Modern Siddur commentaries[edit] Modern Siddur commentaries have been written by: Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan HaCohen, The Chofetz Chaim's Siddur Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Hirsch Siddur, Feldheim Abraham Isaac Kook, Olat Reyia The Authorised Daily Prayer Book with commentary by Joseph H. Hertz Elie Munk, The World of Prayer, Elie Munk Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Siddur, Mesorah Publications Jonathan Sacks, in the Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the British Commonwealth (the new version of "Singer's Prayer Book") as well as the Koren Sacks Siddur. Reuven Hammer, Or Hadash, a siddur commentary built around the text of Siddur Sim Shalom, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism My Peoples Prayer Book, Jewish Lights Publishing, written by a team of non-Orthodox rabbis and Talmud scholars. See also[edit] Judaism portal Jewish commentaries on the Bible Judaism #Jewish religious texts List of Jewish prayers and blessings List of rabbis Rabbinic Judaism Torah databases (electronic versions of traditional Jewish texts) Yeshiva #Curriculum Biblical figures in rabbinic literature[edit] Adam in rabbinic literature Daniel in rabbinic literature Esther in rabbinic literature Ezra in rabbinic literature Haman in rabbinic literature Jethro in rabbinic literature Joab in rabbinic literature Job in rabbinic literature Moses in rabbinic literature Noah in rabbinic literature Samson in rabbinic literature Simeon in rabbinic literature Bibliography[edit] Back to the Sources: Reading the Classic Jewish Texts, Barry W. Holtz, (Summit Books) Introduction to Rabbinic Literature Jacob Neusner, (Anchor Bible Reference Library/Doubleday) Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash, H. L. Strack and G. Stemberger, (Fortress Press) The Literature of the Sages: Oral Torah, Halakha, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, External Tractates, Shemuel Safrai and Peter J. Tomson (Fortress, 1987) External links[edit] General[edit] A survey of rabbinic literature A timeline of Jewish texts Comprehensive listing by category - Global Jewish Database Judaica archival project Chapters On Jewish Literature Online Resources for the Study of Rabbinic Literature Links to full text resources[edit] The Sefaria Library Mechon Mamre Sages of Ashkenaz Database Halacha Brura and Birur Halacha Institute The Electronic Torah Warehouse hebrewbooks.org seforimonline.org Primary Sources @ Ben Gurion University Young Israel library Glossaries[edit] Judaic glossary Sources@JTS Glossary/Bibliography v t e Jews and Judaism Outline of Judaism Index of Jewish history-related articles History Timeline Israelites Origins of Judaism Ancient Israel and Judah Second Temple period Rabbinic Judaism Middle Ages Haskalah Zionism Population Assimilation Diaspora Ashkenazi Italkim Mizrahi Romaniote Sephardi Languages Hebrew Judaeo-Aramaic Judaeo-Greek Judaeo-Occitan Judaeo-Spanish Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Italian Judeo-Persian Yiddish Lists of Jews Persecution Antisemitism Philosophy Beliefs Mitzvah Chosen people Conversion Eschatology Messiah Ethics God Halakha Kabbalah Land of Israel Who is a Jew? 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