When learning Mishnah, we ask: does this specific mishnah connect to a verse in the Torah, or does it present a law which is not mentioned in Written Tradition? If the mishnah is connected to a verse, then we ask: what is the relationship between the mishnah and the verse? Mishnah often defines, explains, interprets, and expands on Written Tradition. Understanding Mishnah includes knowing the exact point at which the verses of Written Tradition leave off and a specific mishnah begins. A few examples will help:

Mishnah Defines Written Tradition
The Torah forbids the doing of work on Shabbat. However, the Torah gives no definition whatsoever of “work.” Is this a subjective an objective term? Mishnah, tractate Shabbat, chapter 7, defines “work” exactly: thirty-nine categories of creative labor and their derivatives.

Mishnah Explains Written Tradition
The Torah commands the bringing of first fruits, and mentions the ceremony surrounding their presentation in the Temple. The Torah does not specify for which species first fruits are to be brought, at what time, or in what manner to bring them. Mishnah, tractate Bikkurim, answers all of these questions and explains the intention of the verses.

Mishnah Interprets Written Tradition
The Torah mandates retribution in the event of causing bodily injury to another, and says: “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Oral Tradition interprets this phrase as metaphoric, and mandates monetary damages, not bodily retribution. Mishnah stipulates how much monetary damage is to be paid for what injury, etc.

Mishnah Expands on Written Tradition
The Torah commands “Don’t boil a kid in its mother’s milk.” The Mishnah in Tractate Hullin, Chapter 8, expands on this principle, and presents the prohibitions of eating and benefitting from milk-meat mixtures.

In many cases, whole chapters of mishnayot can deal with a topic mentioned in only one or two verses in the Torah. In such cases, we group the mishnayot according to categories of questions arising from the verses, and we see individual mishnayot in context of their categories:










In this way, virtually all of Mishnah can be organized as detailed legislation surrounding general categories mentioned in Written Tradition. In the event that the mishnayot are dealing with rabbinic legislation over and above Written Tradition, operative questions include: why did the Rabbis see fit to legislate further? What values were the Rabbis intending to inculcate with their legislation? Does the rabbinic legislation apply in all circumstances or not?

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