The Mishnah: Introduction and Reader

Any valid description of early rabbinic thought must begin with the Mishnah, one of the earliest dated sources of Judaism, and must focus on the subjects the sages considered important. This book introduces the reader to the world of the Mishnah in a thoughtful, engaging, and spirited manner. Neusner formulates a theory of the Mishnah: what it is, how it should be read, and why it is of considerable interest in the study of religious conceptions of the social order. The result is a relatively quick and easy entry into the sometimes difficult and complex world of the Mishnah.