How to Read the Mishnah and Midrash: An Introduction to Early Rabbinic Literature

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Ishay Rosen-Zvi Daniel Tabak

How to Read the Mishnah and Midrash

Name: How to Read the Mishnah and Midrash
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ISBN: 9780520389847

An Introduction to Early Rabbinic Literature

Ishay Rosen-Zvi, Daniel Tabak

$57.95

Paperback

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English

University of California Press
24 February 2026

Family & health

The early rabbinic period produced two major literary formations—the Mishnah and Midrash—which have since remained central pillars of Jewish textual tradition. How to Read the Mishnah and Midrash is the first comprehensive introduction to these two foundational works of Jewish thought in English.

In many ways, all subsequent rabbinic literature emerged from the framework established by these two genres. The Mishnah presented a comprehensive legal system independent of the Bible, encompassing a remarkably broad spectrum of legal topics—from ritual law to civil disputes, capital legislation, marital status, and beyond—woven into a coherent and autonomous legal corpus. The Midrash is the first comprehensive running commentary of the Pentateuch, marked by its interpretive freedom and creative playfulness.

This hands-on companion provides an intimate understanding of how the two texts function and essential tools for engaging with them in depth. With translations, close readings, and analyses of hundreds of primary source materials, this book offers readers a deeper appreciation of the structure, methodology, and enduring impact of the Mishnah and Midrash.

By: Ishay Rosen-Zvi
Translated by: Daniel Tabak
Imprint: University of California Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 178mm,
ISBN: 9780520389847
ISBN 10: 0520389840
Pages: 472
Publication Date: 24 February 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Contents Preface Part I. Mishnah Introduction: The Emergence of Halakhic Literature 1. The Form of the Mishnah 2. The Mishnah’s Sources and Layers 3. The Mishnah’s Legal Sources 4. The Editing of the Mishnah 5. The Mishnah as a Composition 6. Aggadah and Halakhah in the Mishnah 7. The Transmission and Textual History of the Mishnah 8. The Tosefta and the Mishnah Epilogue: The Mishnah and Future Scholarship Part II. Midrash Introduction: Understanding Midrash 9. Biblical Interpretation in Second Temple Literature 10. The Schools of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael 11. The Motivations of Midrash 12. Midrash’s Conception of the Biblical Text 13. The Self-Awareness and Didacticism of Midrash 14. Aggadah in the Midrash 15. The Midrash and the Mishnah 16. The Editing and Transmission of the Midrash Epilogue: The Midrash and Future Scholarship Notes Bibliography Index

Ishay Rosen-Zvi is Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud at Tel-Aviv University. He is author of Demonic Desires: ""Yetzer Hara"" and the Problem of Evil in Late Antiquity and coauthor, with Adi Ophir, of Goy: Israel’s Others and the Birth of the Gentile.