Editing Midrash (section)

== Jewish midrashic literature ==

Numerous Jewish midrashim previously preserved in manuscript form have been published in print, including those denominated as [[smaller midrashim|smaller]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10812-midrashim-smaller |title=Jewish Encyclopedia (1905): "Midrashim, Smaller" |access-date=2018-07-31 |archive-date=2018-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801004000/http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10812-midrashim-smaller |url-status=live }}</ref> or minor midrashim. Bernard H. Mehlman and Seth M. Limmer deprecate this usage, claiming that the term "minor" seems judgmental and "small" is inappropriate for midrashim, some of which are lengthy. They propose the term "medieval midrashim instead", since the period of their production extended from the twilight of the rabbinic age to the dawn of the [[Age of Enlightenment]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MvY6DQAAQBAJ&dq=midrash+%22created+between%22&pg=PA37 Bernard H. Mehlman, Seth M. Limmer, ''Medieval Midrash: The House for Inspired Innovation'' (BRILL 2016), p. 21]</ref>

Generally speaking, rabbinic midrashim either focuses on religious law and practice ({{transliteration|he|halakha}}) or interprets the biblical narrative in relation to non-legal ethics or theology, creating homilies and parables based on the text. In the latter case, they are described as {{transliteration|he|[[Aggadah|aggadic]]}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/midrash-101/ |title=My Jewish Learning: What Is Midrash? |access-date=2018-07-31 |archive-date=2018-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801034335/https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/midrash-101/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Halakhic midrashim ===
{{Main|Midrash halakha}}
{{Rabbinical Literature}}
''[[Midrash halakha]]'' is the name given to a group of tannaitic expositions on [[Torah|the first five books]] of the Hebrew Bible.<ref>ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 14, pg 193</ref> These midrashim, written in [[Mishnaic Hebrew]], clearly distinguish between the Biblical texts that they discuss and the rabbinic interpretation of that text. They often go beyond simple interpretation and derive or support halakha. This work is based on pre-set assumptions about the sacred and divine nature of the text and the belief in the legitimacy that accords with rabbinic interpretation.<ref name="auto">ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 14, pg 194</ref>

Although this material treats the biblical texts as the authoritative word of God, it is clear that not all of the Hebrew Bible was fixed in its wording at this time, as some verses that are cited differ from the [[Masoretic Text|Masoretic]], and accord with the Septuagint, or [[Samaritan Torah]] instead.<ref>ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 14, pg 195</ref>

=== Origins ===
With the growing canonization of the contents of the [[Hebrew Bible]], both in terms of the books that it contained and the version of the text in them and an acceptance that new texts could not be added, there came a need to produce material that would clearly differentiate between that text and rabbinic interpretation of it. By collecting and compiling these thoughts, they could be presented in a manner that helped to refute claims that they were only human interpretations—the argument being that, by presenting the various collections of different schools of thought, each of which relied upon close study of the text, the growing difference between early biblical law and its later rabbinic interpretation could be reconciled.<ref name="auto"/>

=== Aggadic midrashim ===
{{main|Aggadah}}
Midrashim that seek to explain the non-legal portions of the Hebrew Bible are sometimes referred to as {{transliteration|he|aggadah}} or {{transliteration|he|Haggadah}}.<ref>ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 14, pg 183</ref>

Aggadic discussions of the non-legal parts of scripture are characterized by a much greater freedom of exposition than the halakhic midrashim (midrashim on Jewish law). Aggadic expositors availed themselves of various techniques, including sayings of prominent rabbis. These aggadic explanations could be philosophical or mystical disquisitions concerning [[angel]]s, [[demon]]s, [[paradise]], [[Hell]], the [[messiah]], [[Satan]], feasts and fasts, [[parable]]s, legends, satirical assaults on those who practice [[idolatry]], etc.

Some of these midrashim entail mystical teachings. The presentation is such that the midrash is a simple lesson to the uninitiated and a direct allusion, or analogy, to a mystical teaching for those educated in this area.

{{Rabbinical eras timeline|0|220|Era_of_the_Tannaim}}