Hakdama-Rambam’s introduction to Mishnah Torah
The chronological order of the teaching of Torah from Moshe on Sinai until today
- From Sinai until Yehoshua-The giving over of the written and oral Torah:
- The oral Torah was also given on Sinai: All the mitzvahs that were given to Moshe on Sinai were given together with their explanations, which is known as the oral Torah.
- The writing of the written Torah: Moshe wrote the entire written Torah prior to his death in his own handwriting.
- Distributing the written Torah to the tribes: Moshe gave a Torah scroll to each one of the tribes and is well placed one of the scrolls inside of the ark as testimony.
- Not writing the oral Torah: The oral Torah was never written by Moshe and rather he orally instructed it to the elders, and to Yehoshua, and to the rest of the Jewish people. It is for this reason that it is called the oral Torah.
- Who did Moshe teach the oral Torah to? The oral Torah was taught by Moshe in his court to the 70 elders in its entirety. Particularly, it was taught to the following three people: Elazar, Pinchas, and Yehoshua.
- Teaching it to Yehoshua to teach the masses: [Amongst the above three students] it was particularly taught to Yehoshua who was the prime pupil of Moshe. Moshe handed to him the oral Torah and instructed him regarding it to be in charge of teaching it to the masses.
- Yehoshua teaches the oral oral tradition to his generation: Yehoshua spent his entire life teaching oral Torah to the masses, and many elderly sages received the oral Torah from Yehoshua.
- The order of sages who received the oral tradition from Yehoshua until Rabbeinu Hakadosh:
- Eli received the oral tradition from the elders and from Pinchas.
- Shmuel received the oral tradition from Eli and his court.
- David received the oral tradition from Shmuel and his court.
- Achiyah Hashiloni: Achiyah Hashiloni received the oral tradition from David and his court. He was around during the time of the exodus from Egypt and was a Levite. Although he also heard the teachings from Moshe, he was of young age at the time.
- Eliyahu received the oral tradition from Achiyah Hashiloni and his court.
- Elisha received the oral tradition from Eliyahu and his court.
- Yehoyada, the priest, received the oral tradition from Elisha and his court.
- Zechariah received the oral tradition from Yehoyada and his court.
- Hoshea received the oral tradition from Zechariah and his court.
- Amos received the oral tradition from Hoshea and his court.
- Yeshayahu received the oral tradition from Amos and his court.
- Michah received the oral tradition from Yeshayahu and his court.
- Yoel received the oral tradition from Michah and his court.
- Nachum received the oral tradition from Yoel and his court.
- Chabbakuk received the oral tradition from Nachum and his court.
- Tzefaniah received the oral tradition from Chabbakuk and his court.
- Yermiyahu received the oral tradition from Tzefaniah and his court.
- Baruch ben Neriyah received the oral tradition from Yermiyahu and his court.
- Ezra and the Anshei K’nesset Hagedolah: Ezra and his court received the oral tradition from Baruch and his court, which is known as the Anshei K’nesset Hagedolah and included Chaggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Daniel, Chananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Nechemiah ben Chakaliah, Mordechai, Zerubavel and many other sages for a total of 120 in all.
- Shimon Hatzadik: The last member of the Anshei K’nesset Hagedolah who counted as one of the 120 men, was Shimon Hatzadik. He received the Oral tradition from all of the sages of the assembly and he served as the High Priest after Ezra.
- Antignos Ish Socho and his court received the oral tradition from Shimon Hatzadik and his court.
- Yosse ben Yo’ezer of Tzreidah and Yosef ben Yochanan of Jerusalem and their court received the oral tradition from Antignos and his court.
- Yehoshua ben Perachiah and Nittai of Arbel and their court received the oral tradition from Yosse ben Yo’ezer and Yosef ben Yochanan and their court.
- Yehudah ben Tabbai and Shimon ben Shatach and their court received the oral tradition from Yehoshua ben Perachiah and Nittai of Arbel and their court.
- Shemayah and Avtalion and their court received the oral tradition from Yehudah and Shimon and their court. They were both Geirim.
- Hillel and Shammai and their court received the oral tradition from Shemayah and Avtaliyon and their court.
- Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Shimon, the son of Hillel the elder, received the oral tradition from Hillel and his court.
- The students of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had five students who were great sages and received the oral tradition from him. They were: Rabbi Eleazar the great, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Yossi the priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach.
- Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef received from Rabbi Eleazar the great. Yosef, his father, was a Ger. Rabbi Akiva’s colleagues also received the oral tradition from Rabbi Eleazar the great.
- Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Meir who was the son of a Ger, received the oral tradition from Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Meir and his colleagues also received the oral tradition from Rabbi Yishmael.
- The colleagues of Rabbi Meir included: Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Nechemiah, Rabbi Elazar ben Shamu’a, Rabbi Yochanan the shoemaker, Shimon ben Azzai, and Rabbi Chananiah ben Teradion.
- The colleagues of Rabbi Akiva included: Rabbi Tarfon – the teacher of Rabbi Yossi Hagelili, Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, and Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri.
- Rabban Gamliel Hazakein received the oral tradition from Rabban Shimon, his father – the son of Hillel Hazakein.
- Rabban Shimon, his son, received the oral tradition from him.
- Rabban Gamliel, his son, received the oral tradition from him.
- Rabban Shimon, his son, received the oral tradition from him.
- Rabbi Yehudah, the son of Rabban Shimon received the oral tradition from his father and from Rabbi Elazar ben Shamu’a, and from Rabban Shimon and his colleagues. He is referred to as Rabbenu Hakadosh.
The writing of the Mishna, and the history of Jewish literature:
- It’s author: Rabbenu Hakadosh wrote the Mishnah.
- The history of Jewish literature until the writing of the Mishna: From the time of Moshe until Rabbenu Hakadosh there was no published documentation of the oral tradition made available for the sake of teaching the public.
- Every leader of that generation would compile a personal documentation of the oral tradition: Nonetheless, despite there being no published literature on the oral tradition, the head of the court or prophet of each generation would take personal notes of the teachings which he received from his masters. He would then in turn verbally teach them to the public.
- Every student would also compose notes of the teachings: Likewise, each student would write notes for himself of the teachings that he heard. This included the details and explanations of the oral tradition and Torah laws, as well as the novelties in Torah law that were deduced in each generation.
- The 13 principles of deduction: Certain principles of Torah law which were not included in the oral tradition, were deduced by each generation using the 13 principles of deduction. These deduced teachings would become law after they were accepted by the Supreme Court. These teachings and principles were documented by the students of each generation.
- This order of personal notetaking, versus published literature remained until the times of Rabbeinu Hakadosh.
The compilation of the Mishna:
- What it includes: The Mishna which was compiled by Rabbeinu Hakadosh includes the entire oral tradition. He gathered in it all the teachings and laws and explanations and commentaries that were heard from Moshe and taught by the courts in each generation, regarding the entire Torah.
- Teaching it to the masses: Rabbeinu Hakadosh taught the Mishna publicly to the Sages and hence had a disseminated to the entire Jewish people, who in turn wrote it all down. It was disseminated to all areas in order so the Oral tradition would not be forgotten by the Jewish people. He spent his entire life together with his court teaching the Mishna to the masses.
- The reason for its compilation: The reason that Rabbeinu Hakadosh changed from the status quo, and decided to publish and disseminate the Mishna is because he saw that otherwise the oral tradition was at risk of being extinct. As the generations passed, there were less and less students, and due to the exile of the Jewish people caused by the Roman Empire, Jews became scattered throughout the far ends of the world. This threatened to cease the continuity of the oral tradition which was aurally handed from generation to generation. He therefore compiled a publication that would be available to everyone, so that everyone can learn it and not forget the tradition.
The students of Rabbeinu Hakadosh and their compilations:
- The following 11 Sages were part of the court of Rabbenu Hakadosh and received the oral tradition from him: His sons, Shimon and Gamliel, Rabbi Effess, Rabbi Chanina ben Chama, Rabbi Chiyya, Rav, Rabbi Yannai, bar Kafra, Shemuel, Rabbi Yochanan who was the youngest of the students, Rabbi Hoshaia. Thousands and myriads of other sages received the oral tradition from Rabbenu Hakadosh together with these great sages.
- Rabbi Yochanan and Rav later became a student of Rabbi Yannai and received Torah from him.
- Sifra and Sifir compilation: Rav composed the Sifra and the Sifri to explain the foundations and sources of the Mishnah.
- Shmuel received the oral tradition from Rabbi Chanina ben Chama.
- Tosefta: Rabbi Chiyya composed the Tosefta to further expound on the subjects discussed in the Mishnah.
- Beraisos: Rabbi Hoshaia and bar Kafra composed the Beraisos to further expound on the words of the Mishnah.
- The Jerusalem Talmud: Rabbi Yochanan compiled the Jerusalem Talmud in Eretz Yisrael. It was compiled approximately three hundred years after the destruction of the second Temple.
The order of the sages from Rav and Shmuel until the writing of the Talmud:
- Students of Rav and Shmuel: Of the great sages who received the oral tradition from Rav and Shmuel were: Rav Hun: Rav Huna, Rav Yehudah, Rav Nachman, and Rav Kahana.
- Students of Rabbi Yochanan: Some of the great sages who received the oral tradition from Rabbi Yochanan were: Ravah bar bar Channah, Rav Ami, Rav Assi, Rav Dimi, and Rav Avin.
- Students of Rav Huna: Of the Sages who received the oral tradition from Rav Huna and Rav Yehudah were: Rabbah and Rav Yosef.
- Students of Rabah: Of the sages who received the oral tradition from Rabbah and Rav Yosef were: Abbaye and Rava. Both also received the oral tradition from Rav Nachman.
- Students of Rava: Among the Sages who received the oral tradition from Rava were Rav Ashi and Ravina.
- Mar bar Rav Ashi received the oral tradition from Rav Ashi, his father, and from Ravina.
The order of the sages from Rav Ashi until Moshe:
- There was a total of forty generations from Rav Ashi until Moshe. The following is the list of individuals each one having received from the Rabbi preceding him, unless stated otherwise:
- Rav Ashi
- Rava
- Rabbah
- Rav Huna
- Rabbi Yochanan, Rav, and Shmuel
- Rabbenu Hakadosh
- Rabbi Shimon
- Rabban Gamliel
- Rabban Shimon
- Rabban Gamliel
- Rabban Shimon
- Hillel and Shammai
- Shemayah and Avtalion
- Yehudah and Shimon Ben Shetach
- Yehoshua and Nittai Harbeili
- Yosse ben Yo’ezer and Yosef ben Yochanan
- Antignos
- Shimon Hatzadik
- Ezra
- Baruch
- Yermiyahu
- Tzefaniah
- Chabbakuk
- Nachum
- Yoel
- Michah
- Yeshayahu
- Amos
- Hoshea
- Zechariah
- Yehoyada
- Elisha
- Eliyahu
- Achiyah Hashiloni
- David
- Shmuel
- Eli
- Pinchas
- Yehoshua
- Moshe who received the Torah from Hashem.
- Thus, the source of all the knowledge that these individuals contained goes all the way back to the God of Israel.
