MISNA; this is properly the Code of the Jewish Civil Law. The Word Misna in Hebrew signifies Repetition, as if it were a second Law1. The Greeks call it Deuterosis, which has the same Signification; as much as to say, a second Explication of the Law of Moses, or a second Law. For the Jews believe, that when God gave the written Law to Moses, he gave him also another not written, which was preserved by Tradition among the Doctors of the Synagogue, to the Time of the famous Rabbi, Judas the Holy, who wrote the Misna about the Year of Christ 180, being then about forty Years old, and born in the Year of our Lord 136. This Doctor was the Prince or Head of the Captivity, that is, the Chief of the Jews after their Disgrace, and after the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. He was born at Sephoris a City of Galilee, and having acquired a great Reputation, and being long employed in composing of Differences and deciding Disputes, that happened among those of his Nation concerning the Sense of the Law; and likewise seeing the Danger they were in, lest the Jews dispersed through so many Provinces, might at last recede from the Traditions of their Fathers, or forget some Part of the Rites of their Nation; he judged it better to reduce them to Writing, than to trust to their Memories. This produced the Misna, which is the Codex of the Civil and Canon Law of the Jews, and which contains a Collection of their Ceremonies and Oral Laws.
This Work is divided into six Parts. The first is conversant about the Distinction of Seeds in a Field2, the Trees, Fruits, Tythes, &c. The second regulates the Manner of observing the Festivals3. The third treats of Women, and matrimonial Cases4. The fourth, whose Title is Losses5, takes Cognizance of such Suits which arise from Trade, and shews the Way of proceeding therein. Mention is also made of strange Worship6, or Idolatry, because it afforded much Matter for judicial Proceedings. The fifth was concerning Obligations7, Sacrifices, and every Thing that had any Relation thereto. The sixth had for its Subject the several Sorts of Purifications8. Those that desire a more exact Knowledge of the Misna, may consult the new Edition that has lately been made of it, by G. Surenhusius at Amsterdam in 1703, in six Tomes in Folio, with the Notes of Maimonides, Bartenora, and Guisius. See also the third Tome of the Bibliotheca Rabbinica of Bartolucci, and the Continuation of the History of the Jews by M. Basnage.
Every one knows that Judah the Holy is acknowledged as the Author or Compiler of the Misna. He is the chief and principal of those Doctors, whom the Jews call Tanaites, or Preservers of the Tradition. They succeeded the Heads of the great Synagogue, the chief of which were Zerubbabel, or Malachi. The famous Ezra or Esdras, who returned from the Captivity of Babylon, is esteemed to be the Head of the Tanaites. It is maintained that they had the peculiar Favour of God, and have often heard what was called Bath-col, or the Daughter of the Voice. This is a Voice that came from Heaven, and was as it were the Echo of that Voice that was heard by Moses on Mount Sinai. This Daughter of the Voice came in the Place of Prophecy, and procured great Authority and Respect to these Doctors. On their Account the Jews are very lavish of their Encomiums, and impute to ‘em the most pompous Titles. ‘Twas therefore from these Tanaites, who were the Depositaries of the Traditions, that Judah the Holy learned what he has given us in the Misna.
The Tanaites were succeeded by the Gemarists, or Commentators; for no sooner did the Misna appear, but it was received with profound Veneration by all the Jews, in whatever Place they were dispersed. For they thought it to contain nothing, but what had been dictated by God himself from Mount Sinai, as well as the written Law. So that all their learned Men made it their chief Study, and the Principal among them both in Judæa and Babylon, applied themselves to the making of Comments upon it. ‘Tis these Commentaries, together with the Text of the Misna it self, that make up the two Talmuds, that of Jerusalem, and that of Babylon. These Comments they call the Gemara, or Supplement, because with these the Misna makes a compleat Work, and has no need of any farther Improvement.
The Reader may farther consult what we have said before, under the Title DEUTEROSIS.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages