Baraita and Tosefta
A legal or historical document that was not integrated
into the Mishnah of Judah ha-Nasi, is
called a baraita (“outside”). These pieces were written
by rabbinic scholars who lived during the time of the Mishnah.
The Babylonian
Talmud uses the term Matnita (Aramaic for Mishnah) to designate
the extra information on halakhot (laws). Mishnah scholars, known as amoraim, utilized the
knowledge of baraitot for the sake of attaining additional information.
The baraitot would elucidate an issue or question regarding Biblical
texts. Baraitot are introduced by the phrases: “the rabbis
taught” and “it was taught.”
The Tosefta, meaning supplement, is a separate
compilation of baraitot passages, organized in accordance with
the order of the Mishnah. The Tosefta is much larger than
the Mishnah, and contains interpretations of Judaic laws. These
interpretations sometimes support the Mishnah, but may also contradict
its teachings.
Sources: Eisenberg, Ronald L. The
JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions. PA: Jewish Publication Society,
2004; Wigoder, Geoffrey , Ed. The
New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia. NY: Facts on File, 1992. |