Mishnah Puns

I've kind of been in the process of Teshuva for the last year and a half and I just found out today that on December 25 the new Mishnah Yomit cycle is starting so I decided to commit and order the Artscroll Schottenstein Elucidated Mishnayos for Seder Zeraim. Anyone else doing the same?

A good friend suddenly died, and i opened my siddur looking for the proper words to say. I found a section about funeral rites followed by Mishnah study to honor the deceased.. it's basically about how to fill up a mikvah. Now, far be it from me to question the wisdom of our sages, but what the heck is this all about? It's not exactly comforting and doesn't feel especially relevant.

What am I missing?

Thanks so much in advance if anyone is able to do this.

אספקלריא. הוא המכסה אשר יעשה לראות מאחוריו והוא אצלי מלה מורכבת ספק ראיה וזה שיראה אחורי המכסה שהוא מזכוכית או מן בלא"ר או מן דבר ספירי לא יראה במקומו האמתי כמו שהתבאר בחכמת המבטים וכן לא יראה על שיעורו האמתי ויקראו החכמים המכסה הבהיר מאד אשר לא יסתיר דבר מאחוריו אספקלריא המאירה ואמר על צד המשל בהשגת מרע"ה לאלהות שהוא השיג הבורא ית' על תכלית מה שאפשר האדם מאשר הוא בחמר ההשגה שישיגהו כמו שאמר ית' מזה כי לא יראני האדם וחי לפי מה שהתבאר בפרקי אבות אמרו כל הנביאים נסתכלו באספקלריא שאינה מאירה ומשה רבינו נסתכל באספקלריא המאירה וכבר יצאנו מכוונת ההלכה אבל ביארנו ענין זה: ותמחוי. הוא שם הכלי אשר יאכלו בו: ותרווד. הוא כף ותמונת הכף שגבה גבנוני וכאשר יניחו אותו על דבר פשוט כמו השלחן יתגלגל לצדדין והלכה כר"ע:

I've been thinking about getting into the mishna for some time now since it's not nearly as daunting as it would be to undertake a study of the talmud, but I would like to get the opinions of the Redditors here regarding what you think the best one volume translation in English of the Mishnah is.

When I say best, I mean the most faithful to the original Hebrew, while also being in relatively understandable English.

EDIT: also if anyone has read the one volume translations of Danby or Neusner I would like to have your input on them.

So I've accepted that I'm never going to be someone who owns a 21-volume set of the Mishnah. As interested as I may be, I just don't have the bandwidth. That said, I'm still really interested in getting at least a general understanding of Jewish texts outside the Hebrew Bible--something that covers the spirit of the texts, important themes, significant passages, historical/cultural context, etc. It would be great if I could find one solid resource (in English) for each of the above mentioned texts, but I'm open to a single work that gives a broad overview of various texts. Preferably in book form, but beggars can't be choosers. What is your favorite resource for this?

Would like to read more of the Mishnah, and although I know there are good translations out there (Neusner), I like having Hebrew/English side by side on opposite pages. (I'm aware of the excellent site sefaria.org, but I'd like a actual book copy: I'm old fashioned.) Haven't been able to find one yet: help?

I love this Mishnah. It's relatively long and my translation is kind of free. Enjoy:

ט,טז  [טו] משמת רבי מאיר, בטלו מושלי משלים.  משמת בן עזאי, בטלו השקדנין.  משמת בן זומא, בטלו הדרשנין.  משמת רבי עקיבה, בטל כבוד התורה.  משמת רבי חנינה בן דוסא, בטלו אנשי מעשה.  משמת רבי יוסי קטונתן, פסקו חסידים; ולמה נקרא שמו קטונתן, שהיה קטונתן של חסידים.  משמת רבן יוחנן בן זכאי, בטל זיו החכמה.  משמת רבן גמליאל הזקן, בטל כבוד התורה, ומתה הטהרה והפרישות.  משמת ישמעאל בן פיאבי, בטל זיו הכהונה.  משמת רבי, בטלה ענווה ויראת חטא.

When Rabbi Meir died, the parable tellers were cancelled. When Ben Azai died, the strivers were cancelled. When Ben Zoma died, the expounders were cancelled. When Rabbi Akiva died, the honor of Torah was cancelled. When Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa died, the doers were cancelled. When Rabbi Yosi the smallest died the pious ended; and why was he called small, because he was the smallest of the pious. When Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakai died the splendor of wisdom was cancelled. When Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, the honor of Torah was cancelled and purity and asceticism died. When Ishmael the son of Pavi died, the splendor of priesthood was cancelled. When Rabbi died, humility and fear of sin were cancelled.

רבי פנחס בן יאיר אומר, משחרב בית המקדש, בושו חברים ובני חורין, וחפו ראשם, ונדלדלו אנשי מעשה, וגברו בעלי זרוע ובעלי לשון, ואין דורש ואין מבקש, ואין שואל, על מי לנו להשען, על אבינו שבשמים.

רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר, מיום שחרב בית המקדש, שרו חכימיא למהוי כספריא, וספריא כחזניא, וחזניא כעמא דארעא, ועמא דארעא אזלא ונדלדלא, ואין מבקש.

על מי יש להשען? על אבינו שבשמים.

בעקבות משיחא חוצפא יסגא, ויוקר יאמיר.

הגפן תיתן פריה והיין ביוקר, והמלכות תהפך למינות, ואין תוכחה.

בית ועד יהיה לזנות, והגליל יחרב, והגבלן ישום, ואנשי הגבול יסובבו מעיר לעיר ולא יחוננו, וחכמת סופרים תסרח, ויראי חטא ימאסו, והאמת תהא נעדרת.

נערים פני זקנים ילבינו, זקנים יעמדו מפני קטנים.

(מיכה ז) בן מנבל אב, בת קמה באמה, כלה בחמותה, אויבי איש אנשי ביתו.

פני הדור כפני הכלב, הבן אינו מתבייש מאביו.

ועל מי יש לנו להשען? על אבינו שבשמים.

רבי פנחס בן יאיר אומר, זריזות מביאה לידי נקיות, ונקיות מביאה לידי טהרה, וטהרה מביאה לידי פרישות, ופרישות מביאה לידי קדושה, וקדושה מביאה לידי ענוה, וענוה מביאה לידי יראת חטא, ויראת חטא מביאה לידי חסידות, וחסידות מביאה לידי רוח הקודש.

ורוח הקודש מביאה לידי תחיית המתים, ותחיית המתים באה על ידי אליהו זכור לטוב, אמן.

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair says when the Temple was destroyed, the fr

Given that the Mishnah was the oral tradition of the Jews, put into writing in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD after the destruction of the temple, it would appear that was the understanding of the Jews in Jesus time and before. Do JWs know this?

Apparently the Mishnah doesn't reflect 2nd Temple Judaism because the Pharisees were mostly elite Jews. This is apparently the "consensus." But how is this correct? Wasn't it the Sadducees who were the elite Jews because of their control of the Temple and its maintenance? How can the Pharisees be considered elite when they had no control over the Temple or daily life? Isn't Pharisaicism the basis of Mishnaic belief because most ordinary people supported the Pharisees? Why wouldn't the Mishnah discuss non-elite Jewish belief when it discusses the beliefs and practices of am ha'aretz (עם הארץ), the common people under Second Temple Judaism?

I know this is a bit outside the scope of this subreddit, but I find no subreddit suited for such a question.

I am currently studying Biblical Hebrew, and can now read prose passages from the Tanakh with relative ease (with poetry passages, it depends on the passage). I was wondering if an adequate knowledge of Biblical Hebrew also allows someone to read passages from Mishnaic Hebrew. sefaria.org has a very good dictionary accompaining the texts, to vocabulary shouldn't be a problem.

If the grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew is indeed different then how difficult is to adjuct your knowledge of Biblical Hebrew in order to read the Mishnah?

Hello all!

Typically, religious Jews will point to the many ambiguities in the Torah as evidence that there was a contemporary oral tradition, the Mishnah. Does this hold up from a historical-critical lens?

Do we have any evidence for the Mishnah that comes before the time it was properly written down in the aptly-named Mishnaic period? For example, are there fragments of text or references to it in the literature of the time?

Finally, where can I read to start learning more about this topic?

Hi, I'm not Jewish-- I just have a question about this passage: was it proclaimed by G-d or was it a statement made by a judge?

>"...if any man has caused a single life to perish from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had caused a whole world to perish; and anyone who saves a single soul from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had saved a whole world" Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5

As a BT, I did not grow up studying Talmud, but I do know that the Mishnah along with Gemara is our Talmud. The stories we have about Abraham as a child come from the Mishnah. Is this the same Mishnah as in the Talmud or are there other writings referred to as Mishnah? If it is Talmud, could someone tell me which tractate?

Very simple point:
God has left us after the last prophets because he was mad at us for not following his rules.
The Mishnah was written by the Tannaim after God has already left us - so it wasn't under his control, direct supervision or one of his messengers.
It was based on Oral Torah, which was passed from one to another for about 600-700 years until put on paper. So many details could have been changed, forgotten or invented across the road, so many interpretations could have been skewed the original orders.

What if the Mishnah is wrong? What if it's not 1:1 God's order and even if all Jews will follow it, God won't return?

Edit: it's weird to get downvoted. If you think that this is wrong please do share why

"Long time no see," exclaims David. Confucius bows down on one knee and admits: "I wheeled about the lies". Both Confucius and the boy break down and weep on the floor. The story takes place in August 1947, and it is important to the remainder of the plot. The lights dimmed and Confucius began to sadden, for the end of the joke was approaching, and it was only getting closer the more he spoke. Their minds were seemingly intersubstitutable in the hearth of the moment. He longed for his late wife. Ahmed, the horse, walked into Bar, who died from her injuries. "Why the long phase?", the bartender concussed in retrospection. "It's been a long wheel", he conjured and agonised. "It's been a very, very long wheel."

the company davka used to make a program called "Hebrew English Mishnah Berurah for windows" but stopped producing it around when windows 7 came out because apparently it was not running well on windows 7 and up and they decided to not update it anymore. no stores carry it and davka said they dont produce/have it anymore. they told me if i can find a copy i am welcome to copy it (i have an old pc running windows xp)

so if anyone has this or knows someone who has it it would be a huge deal for my me, as i am trying to make worksheets for learning MB & i think this would be very very helpful for me.

ty!

p.s. i am aware of sefaria and most of mishnah berurah is not translated on there plus the old program has various functions (searches, crossreferences, page printing & more) which would be extremely useful for me.

I haven't been able to find a solid definition on any of these things, any explanation would be appreciated!

As I understand it, the Oral Law was passed down from Moshe to Yehoshua etc until it was codified in the Mishnah. Clearly, that means the Mishnah is binding (unless there is reason to doubt its authenticity or the authenticity of the claim that it is from Moshe). My question is simple; can I read only the Mishneh Torah and have a complete, but of course not very deep, understanding of Halacha (i.e. Torah laws/interpretation and laws of the sages)?

This website contains the Hebrew but translates it as "One may go out with a locust egg, or with a fox's tooth, or with the nail of one who has been hanged, for the sake of remedies"

But I have heard a better translation is "with the nail of the one who has been crucified" (which would make more sense because nails are used in crucifixions.)

I have never heard of Jews using crucifixion nails as healing talismans before, so I am very interested in this passage.

Also, is there any evidence that the author(s) of the Talmud read or were aware of the Gospels and/or other NT or Christian texts?

I've been thinking about getting into the mishna for some time now since it's not nearly as daunting as it would be to undertake a study of the talmud, but I would like to get the opinions of the Redditors here regarding what you think the best one volume translation in English of the Mishnah is.

When I say best, I mean the most faithful to the original Hebrew, while also being in relatively understandable English.

Would like to read more of the Mishnah, and although I know there are good translations out there (Neusner), I like having Hebrew/English side by side on opposite pages. (I'm aware of the excellent site sefaria.org, but I'd like a actual book copy: I'm old fashioned.) Haven't been able to find one yet: help?