Minor tractate
Encyclopedia
The minor tractates are essays from the Tannaitic
period or later dealing with topics about which no formal tractate exists in the Mishnah
. They may thus be contrasted to the Tosefta
, whose tractates parallel those of the Mishnah
. The first eight or so contain much original material; the last seven or so are collections of material scattered throughout the Talmud. According to Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
, the Minor Tractates date from the period of the Geonim
.
The Minor Tractates are normally printed at the end of Seder Nezikin
in the Talmud
. They include:
There is also a lost tractate called "Eretz Yisrael" (The Land of Israel, about laws of that land.)
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
period or later dealing with topics about which no formal tractate exists in the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
. They may thus be contrasted to the Tosefta
Tosefta
The Tosefta is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah.-Overview:...
, whose tractates parallel those of the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
. The first eight or so contain much original material; the last seven or so are collections of material scattered throughout the Talmud. According to Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
Chaim Kanievsky
Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky, , is an Israeli rabbi and posek. Kanievsky is considered a leading authority in Haredi Jewish society.-Biography:...
, the Minor Tractates date from the period of the Geonim
Geonim
Geonim were the presidents of the two great Babylonian, Talmudic Academies of Sura and Pumbedita, in the Abbasid Caliphate, and were the generally accepted spiritual leaders of the Jewish community world wide in the early medieval era, in contrast to the Resh Galuta who wielded secular authority...
.
The Minor Tractates are normally printed at the end of Seder Nezikin
Nezikin
For Jewish law on damages, see Damages Nezikin or Seder Nezikin is the fourth Order of the Mishna...
in the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. They include:
- Avot of Rabbi NatanAvot of Rabbi NatanAvot de-Rabbi Nathan , usually printed together with the minor tractates of the Talmud, is a Jewish aggadic work probably compiled in the geonic era . Although Avot de-Rabbi Nathan is the first and longest of the "minor tractates", it probably does not belong in that collection chronologically,...
(Hebrew: אבות דרבי נתן). The SchechterSolomon SchechterSolomon Schechter was a Moldavian-born Romanian and English rabbi, academic scholar, and educator, most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and architect of the American Conservative Jewish...
edition contains two different versions (version A has 41 chapters and version B has 48). - SoferimSoferim (Talmud)Soferim is a Talmudic treatise dealing especially with the rules relating to the preparation of the holy books, as well as with the regulations for the reading of the Law. It belongs to the so-called "smaller tractates," a term applied to about 15 works in rabbinical literature, each containing...
(Hebrew: סופרים - Scribes). This tractate appears in two different versions in the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds. - Evel RabbatiEvel RabbatiEbel Rabbati is one of the later or minor tractates which in the editions of the Babylonian Talmud are placed after the fourth order, Neziḳin; it treats of mourning for the dead...
(Hebrew: אבל רבתי - Elaboration on Mourning). This tractate is about laws and customs pertaining to death and mourning, and is sometimes euphemistically called Semahot ("joys"). - KallahKallahYarchei Kallah is the name of a teachers' convention that was held twice a year in Babylonian Academies, by the Jews then in captivity in Bablon, after the beginning of the amoraic period, in the two months Adar and Elul...
(Hebrew: כלה - Bride) (on engagement, marriage and co-habitation). - Kallah Rabbati (Hebrew: כלה רבתי - an elaboration of the above).
- Derekh Eretz RabbahDerekh Eretz RabbahDerekh Eretz Rabbah is one of the minor tractates of the Talmud. In the editions of the latter the tractate Derek Ereẓ consists of three divisions:# Derek Ereẓ Rabbah...
(Hebrew: דרך ארץ רבה) "Derekh Eretz" literally means "the way of the world," which in this context refers to deportment, manners and behavior. - Derekh Eretz Zuta (Hebrew: דרך ארץ זוטא) Addressed to scholars, this is a collection of maxims urging self examination and modesty.
- Pereq ha-Shalom (Hebrew: פרק השלום - Chapter of Peace) (on the ways of peace between people; a final chapter to the above often listed separately).
- Sefer Torah (regulations for writing Torah scrolls).
- MezuzahMezuzahA mezuzah is usually a metal or wooden rectangular object that is fastened to a doorpost of a Jewish house. Inside it is a piece of parchment inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah...
(Hebrew: מזוזה - scroll affixed to the doorpost). - TefillinTefillinTefillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form , it is loosely used as a singular as...
(Hebrew: תפילין - phylacteries). - TzitzitTzitzitThe Hebrew noun tzitzit is the name for specially knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews. Tzitzit are attached to the four corners of the tallit and tallit katan.-Etymology:The word may derive from the semitic root N-TZ-H...
(Hebrew: ציצית - fringes). - Avadim (Hebrew: עבדים - slaves).
- Gerim (Hebrew: גרים - conversion to Judaism).
- Kutim (Hebrew: כותים - Samaritans).
There is also a lost tractate called "Eretz Yisrael" (The Land of Israel, about laws of that land.)