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Show The Talmud. Globe-Democrat. What is the Talmud? Tho Talmud is the title applied to the Mishnah and Germara, two collections of Jewish traditions and decisions relative rela-tive to the law as given by Moses. The Mishnah is the earliest collection of traditionary matter in regard to the law, and the Germara is an elucidation of the Mishnah text, consisting of a running run-ning commentary, explanations and opinions given by renowned rabbinical scholars. The comments are frequently iu the form of an argument, reason pro and con being advanced and' instances cited in support of the positions assumed as-sumed by the imaginary contestants. There aro two Talmuds and that of Babylon, the latter being regarded as more complete and satisfactory. The compilation of the Talmud was begun, it is said, about the time ot the return from tho Babylonish captivity, B. C. 530, and was completed in the second or third century after Christ. It is, therefore, a body of Jewish thought and doctrine, covering a period of 000 or 700 years. . |