Talmud

The Talmud is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism and a primary source of Jewish law and theology, consisting of the Mishnah and its commentaries, the Gemara, written in a combination of Aramaic and Hebrew. In 63 tractates it records the teachings and disagreements of thousands of rabbis on law, ethics, philosophy, customs, history and folklore. The earlier Jerusalem Talmud was compiled in Galilee in the late fourth or early fifth century; the more extensive and authoritative Babylonian Talmud, traditionally compiled by Rav Ashi and Ravina II around 500 CE, more likely dates from the middle of the sixth century. In Rabbinic Judaism it is second in authority only to the Hebrew Bible.