This source sheet is part of the larger Ta’amei HaPardes Commentary, a project of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. This is sheet 1 of 9 on the topic of Mishnah.
The Mishnaic corpus as a whole is much more than just a “code of law.” For if that was its sole purpose, it fails on many levels. The learner is presented with a multiplicity of voices and opinions without a clear signal of which is the correct way to act. There is much assumed previous knowledge, and the information is not always laid out in the most logical manner. Often, even the essential facts are only mentioned later, or not at all. And yet it is clear that the Mishnah is a carefully edited and crafted work. Distinct choices were made about what texts were included, their order and their presentation.
When one pays careful attention to the literary structure, the language and the content, while unpacking the Mishnah’s themes and meta themes, a new level of meaning is revealed. The Mishnah does not just present Rabbinic law and interpretation. It is much more than that – the Mishnah is a manifesto of the Rabbis’ theological and philosophical worldview. Today the study of Mishnah has sadly been relegated to grade school students and beginners. Others only touch upon it every once in a while, between many pages of Gemara, thus losing its larger configuration. However, the Mishnah was composed for adults and meant to be studied as one coherent document. This commentary will focus on the Mishnah in its own right, paying close attention to the underlying themes, structure, and connections which arise from seeing the text as one clearly constructed whole. Hopefully the modern learner will connect to the Mishnah’s still relevant core questions and discussions, and this commentary will revive interest in its study for all levels of learners.
This commentary is geared toward a diverse Jewish audience, regardless of affiliation, denomination, background or belief system. The audience is the intelligent layperson and student who is interested in engaging with texts in an authentic and serious way. The commentary is literary in nature: it will conduct close readings of texts and structure, and will utilize the tools of traditional text study as well as those of literary analysis. It will engage in a close line by line read of the Mishnah text.
The goal is – to the best of my ability, and to the extent that it is possible – to present “pshat hamishnah.” That is, the straightforward meaning of the Mishnah based on its words and structure, and within its context as one whole edited document. To help us understand the meaning of the Mishnah, I will prioritize other tannaitic texts – both within the Mishnah itself and external to it – over its readings by the later authorities of the Talmud. I will at times reference either the Jerusalem or Babylonian Talmud’s interpretation, as well as traditional medieval or modern commentaries. But ultimately the analysis will be of the Mishnah itself, and not necessarily how later Rabbinic legal tradition or, more specifically, the Babylonian Talmud understood the text.
Most importantly, this commentary is geared towards “Torah Learning” and is not academic in nature. At times, I will nevertheless reference critical or academic readings and manuscripts when these methodologies enhance the understanding and meaning of the text. Throughout the commentary I will bring textual variants from the 10th century Kaufmann manuscript, as that is thought to be the oldest and most accurate existent version of the tradition from the land of Israel. (That text is also interesting because it has the hand of two scribes on it. The words of the first scribe follow the tradition of Israel, while another scribe added vocalization based on the traditions from Babylonia.)
Our goal here is meaning making; what does the text say and what ideas and messages does it convey to the learner. This commentary seeks relevance by emphasizing questions that arise from a close reading of the texts. These difficulties are often the ones modern learners are likely to ask. In focusing on these questions, the commentary will hopefully show that these issues are still pertinent to contemporary readers and students, thereby emphasizing the enduring relevance of this ancient text. Ultimately, this commentary is meant to empower learners to be excited by the study of Mishnah and become independent readers of the text.
The structure for each perek, chapter, is a “go large, go small, go large” approach:
- Each unit will start with an overview of the text under discussion, in which the big questions and issues that arise from the text will be raised.
- Then I will present a running line by line commentary which addresses local difficulties, understandings, and interpretations; all of which ultimately link back to understanding the larger picture.
- Based on these close readings, I will then summarize and suggest an overall meaning for each mishnah and then for the perek as a whole.
The main things that I do are:
- Look at language
- Look at structure
- Look at connections
- Look for words/phrases that repeat
- Try to understand the meaning behind the legal disputes that are presented
- Think about the meta themes that then arise from all of the above
I have learned this style of learning Mishnah from many years of studying with my uncle R. Dov Berkovits. It is how I teach. Ultimately, this commentary is a written record of my teaching over the years and incorporates many ideas shared with and enhanced by dialogue with my students at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. I absolutely love the study of Mishnah and am awed by the brilliance and thoughtfulness of the tannaim and by R. Yehudah HaNasi’s incredible composition. I sincerely hope that those feelings of love and reverence come through in my work and that I do the text justice by offering a new window into its study.