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III

RABBINISM (b)

Extraordinary group of eminent Rabbis who arose after the
catastrophe of A.D. 70—Their new conception of the future
of Israel—The Torah (Law of Moses) and other writings of
the Old Testament from the days of Ezra had been esteemed
ever more and more highly—The "Halachah" or (Rules
round the Torah) gradually multiplied—The elaboration
of these "Halachah" and "Haggadah" (traditions) formed
the "Mishnah"—this work roughly occupied the new Jewish
schools during the whole of the second century—Explanation
of term "Mishnah"—The next two or three centuries were
occupied by the Rabbis in their schools of Palestine and
Babylonia in a further commentary on the "Mishnah"—This
second work of the Rabbis was termed the "Gemara" 342

IV

THE TALMUD

Portions of the "Talmud" had existed before A.D. 70—probably
some few of the "Halachah" and "Haggadah" even dating
from the days of Moses—some from the times of the Judges,
and others belonging to the schools of the Prophets—In the
times of Ezra arose the strange and unique "Guild of Scribes,"
devoted to the study and interpretation of the sacred writings
and the traditions which had gathered round them in past ages—R.
Hillel a little before the Christian era began the task of
arranging the results of the labours of the scribes—R. Akiba
after A.D. 70 continued the work of arrangement, but was
interrupted—His fame and story—R. Meir further worked
at the same task, which was finally completed by R. Judah
the Holy, who generally arranged the Mishnah in the form
in which it has come down to us—This "Mishnah" served
as the text for the great academies of Palestine and Babylonia
to work on in the third and two following centuries—Their
writings are known as the "Gemara"—The Mishnah
and Gemara together form the Talmud—A picture of the
great Rabbinic academies of Palestine and Babylonia—Their
methods of study 347

V

HOW THE TEXT OF THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS
PRESERVED

Description of the Massorah—The work of the Massorites in the
preservation of the text of the sacred books—Present condition
of the Massorah 361