18
CHRISTIANITY IN TALMUD
Halachoth-presumably of all the Halachoth whose
validity was recognised so far as known to the
compiler ; and it deals with every department of
practical conduct. Under six main divisions
Sedarim,' or orders), and sixty - three treatises
Massichtoth'), the duties of the faithful Israelite
are set forth, as positive or negative commands. But
the Mishnah contains Haggadah as well as Halachah.
Along with the precepts, and the discussions in
which they were defined, there are illustrative and
explanatory notes, historical and personal remini-
scences, designed to show the purpose or explain
the meaning of some decision. These are Haggadah ;
and they occur in the midst of Halachah, with not
the slightest mark to dis:,'nguish the one from the
other. The amount of Haggadah in the Mishnah,
however, is not great compared with that of
Halachah. And, in consequence, while the Mishnah
is easier to read than the Gemara in point of
language, it is far less interesting owing to the
scantiness of the human element provided in the
Haggadah.
As above stated, the Mishnah was completed
somewhere about the year 220 A.D.; and though
at first it only existed as oral teaching, it appears to
have been very soon written down. From hence-
forth it was the standard collection of Halachoth,
though other collections existed of which mention
will be presently made. As the standard collection
of Halachoth, it naturally became in its turn
the subject of study, since many of its precepts
were of uncertain meaning. To mention only one
reason for this, the destruction of the Temple, and
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