Law and Wisdom: in the Mishnaic System

Abstract

For Jews the authority of post-biblical writings in the Midrashic collections, Mishnah, and Talmuds (Babylonian and Palestinian) is clearly greater than the Christians accord post-biblical Church Fathers. Following Jacob Neusner's methodological clarification, Schnabel focuses on the Mishnah as a separate source for Jewish thought, and undertakes to get at the heart of the Mishnaic system as it centers on the behavioral ("halakic") norms for Jewish life. Mishnaic form and logic need explication, especially for Christians. Priestly tradition, Pharisaic piety and their own professional value of Torah study led the scribal authors of Mishnah to norms at once scripture-based, traditional and yet geared to the needs of real life Jewish communities. Their synthesis, because it is so different from Christian writings of the same period, illustrates the varied wealth of religious vision available in the biblical sources. With sanctification as its goal, Mishnaic literature legislates orderly and systematic practices which honor the cultic and holiness values of its forebears. Of particular interest are the wisdom norms of the sages (scribes) as these bear on both the cultic practices and home observances of Judaism. The world-view of the Mishnah, finally, sets the stage for the many particularities of Mishnaic wisdom and legal interpretations which have come to be core elements of Judaism even until today.