Talmud

[tahl-mood, -muhd, tal-]

noun

1. the collection of Jewish law and tradition consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara and being either the edition produced in Palestine a.d. c400 or the larger, more important one produced in Babylonia a.d. c500.

2. the Gemara.

Talmud

/ ˈtælmʊd /

noun

1. the primary source of Jewish religious law, consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara

2. either of two recensions of this compilation, the Palestinian Talmud of about 375 _ad , or the longer and more important Babylonian Talmud of about 500 _ad

Talmud

1. Collections of commentaries on biblical texts that form, with the Torah, the foundation for the religious laws of Judaism.

Other Word Forms

• Talmudism noun
• Talmudic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Talmud¹

First recorded in 1525–35, Talmud is from the Hebrew word talmūdh literally, instruction

Word History and Origins

Origin of Talmud¹

C16: from Hebrew talmūdh, literally: instruction, from lāmadh to learn

Example Sentences

It appears in the Old Testament and the Talmud, is honored as Matariki in New Zealand, and is depicted in the logo of Subaru in Japan.

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The other was that of the young man who set out to study the Talmud, not because he had the slightest interest in God but because he was curious about its internal contradictions.

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One former Israeli intelligence official I contacted explained his reluctance to comment with a saying from the Talmud: “And at this very time the smart ones keep silent.”

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But he was well versed in the Torah, the Talmud and the intricacies of Orthodox Jewish observance.

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The Talmud, a set of commentaries on the Torah, specifically condones ransoming of hostages as a communal responsibility, and many ancient scholars considered being hostage a fate worse than death.

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