THE MISHNAH

See Part I, pp. 30 to 35, for a general characterization of the Mishnah.

The six Orders (seder, pi. sedarim) of the Mishnah are: Zeraʽm (‘Seeds’), Moʽed (‘Appointed Time’ or ‘Festival’), Našim (‘Women’), Neziqin (‘Damages’), Qodašim (‘Holinesses’), and Tohorot (‘Purities’). The Orders are divided into tractates (maseket, pi. masektot), and the tractates are divided into chapters (pereq, pi. peraqim), which are again divided into pericopes (mishnah, pi. mishnayot).

Zeraʽim is concerned mainly with the agricultural aspects of the Torah. Its subject-matter includes: the liturgy (included probably because many of the blessings contained in it are pronounced when partaking of the fruits of the land); ‘the corner of the field’ and other rights of the poor (Lev. 19:9–10; Deut. 24:19–21); tithes of various kinds; ‘forbidden mixtures’ in plants, animals and garments (Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:9–11); the sabbatical year (Exod. 23:11; Lev. 25:2–7; Deut. 15:1–11); forbidden fruits (Lev. 19:23–5); and First-fruits (Deut. 26:1–11).

Moʽed is concerned with the religious calendar. It deals with the Sabbath; the pilgrim–festivals, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles; the High Festivals, the New Year and the Day of Atonement; the minor festivals; and public fasts.

Našim concerns marriage and divorce. It deals with levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5–10); marriage deeds; ‘the Suspected Adulteress’ (Num. 5:11–31); weddings; divorces; and vows of various kinds.

Neziqin (the more colloquial, or Aramaized, plural –in rather than –im is traditional) is concerned mainly with civil and criminal law, and its administration. It deals with damages, injuries, thefts and compensation for them (Exod. 21:28–36; 22:1–5); lost property; guardianship; buying and selling; lending, hiring and renting; commerce and land-dealing; inheritance; courts and their sanctions; oaths; and erroneous decisions by courts.