Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire corpus of works authored by Rabbi throughout Jewish history.
Mishnaic literature
The
Midrash halakha,
Mishnah, and
Tosefta (compiled from materials pre-dating the year 200 CE) are the earliest extant works of rabbinic literature, expounding and developing Judaism's
Oral Torah, as well as ethical teachings. Following these came the two Talmuds:
The earliest extant material witness to rabbinic literature of any kind is the Tel Rehov inscription dating to the 6th–7th centuries, also the longest Jewish inscription from late antiquity.
Meanwhile, the earliest extant Talmudic manuscripts are from the 8th century.
The Midrash
Midrash (מדרש; 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, drawing upon Barry Holtz's
Back to the Sources,
is given below. The timeline below is approximate because many of the works were composed over a long period, 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.
Later works by category
Aggada
Hasidic thought
Hebrew poetry
Jewish liturgy
Jewish philosophy
Kabbalah
Jewish law
Musar literature
Later works by historical period
Works of the Geonim
The
Geonim are the rabbis of Sura and Pumbeditha in
Babylon (650–1250 CE) :
Works of the Rishonim (the "early" rabbinical commentators)
The
Rishonim are the rabbis of the early medieval period (1000–1550 CE)
-
The commentaries on the Torah, such as those by Rashi, Abraham ibn Ezra, and Nahmanides.
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Commentaries on the Talmud, principally by Rashi, his grandson Samuel ben Meir and Nissim of Gerona.
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Commentaries on the Mishnah, such as those composed by Maimonides, Obadiah of Bertinoro, and Nathan ben Abraham
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Talmudic novellae ( chiddushim) by Tosafists, Nahmanides, Nissim of Gerona, Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA), Yomtov ben Ashbili (Ritva)
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Works of halakha (Asher ben Yechiel, Mordechai ben Hillel)
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Codices by Maimonides and Jacob ben Asher, and finally Shulkhan Arukh
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Responsa, e.g., by Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA)
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Kabbalah works (such as the Zohar)
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Philosophical works (Maimonides, Gersonides, Nahmanides)
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Ethical works (Bahya ibn Paquda, Jonah of Gerona)
Works of the Acharonim (the "later" rabbinical commentators)
The
Acharonim are the rabbis from 1550 to the present day.
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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.
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Important works of Talmudic novellae include: Pnei Yehoshua, Hafla'ah, Sha'agath Aryei
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Responsa, e.g., by Moses Sofer, Moshe Feinstein
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Works of halakha and codices, e.g., Mishnah Berurah by Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Aruch ha-Shulchan by Yechiel Michel Epstein
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Ethical and philosophical works: Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Mussar Movement
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Hasidic Judaism works ( Kedushath Levi, Sefath Emmeth, Shem mi-Shemuel)
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Philosophical/metaphysical works (the works of the Maharal of Prague, Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and Nefesh ha-Chayim by Chaim Volozhin)
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Mystical works
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Historical works, e.g., Shem ha-Gedolim by Chaim Joseph David Azulai.
Mefareshim
Mefareshim is a
Hebrew language word meaning "commentators" (or roughly meaning "
Exegesis"),
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
Classic Torah and/or Talmud commentaries have been written by the following individuals:
-
Geonim
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Rishonim
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Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki), 12th century France
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Abraham ibn Ezra
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Nachmanides (Moshe ben Nahman)
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Samuel ben Meir, the Rashbam, 12th century France
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Gersonides, also known as Levi ben Gershom or Ralbag)
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David Kimhi, the Radak, 13th century France
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Joseph ben Isaac Bekhor Shor, 12th century France
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Nissim of Gerona, also known as Nissim ben Reuben Gerondi, or the RaN, 14th century Spain
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Isaac Abarbanel (1437–1508)
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Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, 16th century Italy
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Acharonim
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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 was 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.
Modern Torah commentaries
Modern Torah commentaries which have received wide acclaim in the Jewish community include:
-
Haemek Davar by Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin
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The Chofetz Chaim
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Torah Temimah of Baruch Epstein
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Kerem HaTzvi, by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber
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Sefat Emet (Lips of Truth), Yehudah Aryeh Leib of Ger, 19th century Europe
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The "Pentateuch and Haftaras" by Joseph H. Hertz
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Uebersetzung und Erklärung des Pentateuchs ("Translation and Commentary of the Pentateuch") by Samson Raphael Hirsch
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Nechama Leibowitz, a noted woman scholar
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HaTorah vehaMitzva ("The Torah and the Commandment") by Meïr Leibush, the "Malbim"
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Ha-Ketav veha-Kabbalah by Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg
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The Soncino Books of the Bible
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Richard Elliot Friedman's Commentary on the Torah (2001)
Modern Siddur commentaries
Modern Siddur commentaries have been written by:
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Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan HaCohen, The Chofetz Chaim's Siddur
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Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Hirsch Siddur, Feldheim
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Abraham Isaac Kook, Olat Reyia
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The Authorised Daily Prayer Book with commentary by Joseph H. Hertz
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Elie Munk, The World of Prayer, Elie Munk
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Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Siddur, Mesorah Publications
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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.
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Reuven Hammer, Or Hadash, a siddur commentary built around the text of Siddur Sim Shalom, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
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My Peoples Prayer Book, Jewish Lights Publishing, written by a team of non-Orthodox rabbis and Talmud scholars.
See also
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Jewish commentaries on the Bible
-
List of Jewish prayers and blessings
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List of rabbis
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Rabbinic Judaism
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(electronic versions of traditional Jewish texts)
Biblical figures in rabbinic literature
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Adam in rabbinic literature
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Daniel in rabbinic literature
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Esther in rabbinic literature
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Ezra in rabbinic literature
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Haman in rabbinic literature
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Jethro in rabbinic literature
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Joab in rabbinic literature
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Job in rabbinic literature
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Moses in rabbinic literature
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Noah in rabbinic literature
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Samson in rabbinic literature
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Simeon in rabbinic literature
Bibliography
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Introduction to Rabbinic Literature Jacob Neusner, (Anchor Bible Reference Library/Doubleday)
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Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash, H. L. Strack and G. Stemberger, (Fortress Press)
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The Literature of the Sages: Oral Torah, Halakha, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, External Tractates, Shemuel Safrai and Peter J. Tomson (Fortress, 1987)
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External links
General
Links to full text resources
Glossaries
