Citing standards for the Oral Torah
Question
KK So loooong story short, The only Jewish people I know are only ethnically Jewish. I'm trying to understand my SIL, her family, and Jews in general more, and reading up on Sefaria and etc. etc. Now, I just want to make sure I understand citing standards. Mishnah (Either in Talmud or not) - m. [Tractate] Chapter:Paragraph (Mishnah = Paragraph?) Talmud Bavli - b. [Tractate] Folio aka page number (any more precise than that?) * Talmud Yerushalmi - y. [Tractate] Chapter:Mishnah:Paragraph, page number (idk Yerushalmi talmud. in sefaria, it was three different options. The way I understand it it follows Mishnah rules, just adds one further layer) Minor Tractates - ??? No idea. [Tractate] Chapter:Paragraph Tosefta - t. [Tractate] Chapter: Paragraph And Further, If I understand: Mishnah Chapter = y. Talmud Chapter ≠ Tosefta Chapter b. Talmud = Mishnah + b. Gemara y. Talmud = Mishnah + y. Gemara Minor Tractates = Amoraic b. Mishnah Tosefta = Deuterocanon Mishnah That's about it for now! Thank you all for reading this! I appreciate any assistance.
Answer
Shalom,
Here is a more structured list.
Mishah – Tractate, chapter and the number of a mishnah.
Babylonian Talmud – Tractate, folio number and page number (side of the folio, a or b).
Yerushalmi – Tractate, chapter and ‘halacha' (the ‘halacha’ usually corresponds to the Mishnah). In longer 'halachot’ it is sometimes customary to indicate folio and page numbers (following the Vilna edition).
Minor tractates – Tractate, chapter, and paragraph (the numbering of paragraphs may vary depending on the version of the text).
Tosefta – Tractate, chapter, and paragraph (again, the order of chapters and paragraphs may vary).
With regard to the ‘equations’:
Mishnah chapter = the Bavli and Yerushalmi usually correspond to Mishnah chapters (unlike the Tosefta).
b. Talmud = Mishnah + b. Gemara
y. Talmud = Mishnah + y. Gemara
Minor Tractates = Amoraic b. Mishnah
Tosefta = contemporary with Mishnah, but with numerous differences.
The Mishnah was compiled by Rabbi Yehudah ha-Nasi based on his predecessors' teachings. Other tannaim collected various other teachings known as the Tosefta.