What is the structure of Mishnah

The term "Mishnah" originally referred to a method of teaching by presenting topics in a systematic order, as contrasted with Midrash, which meant teaching by following the order of the Bible. The Mishnah as a written compilation accordingly orders its content by subject matter, instead of by biblical context as the Midrashim do. Likewise it includes a much broader selection of halakhic subjects, and discusses individual subjects more thoroughly, than the Midrashim. The Mishnah consists of six orders (sedarim, singular seder סדר), each containing 7–12 tractates (masechtot, singular masechet מסכת; lit. "web"), 63 in total. Each masechet is divided into chapters (peraqim, singular pereq) and then paragraphs (mishnayot, singular Mishnah). In this last context, the word mishnah means a single paragraph of the work, i.e. the smallest unit of structure, leading to the use of the plural, "Mishnayot", for the whole work. Because of the division into six orders, the Mishnah is sometimes called Shas (an acronym for Shisha Sedarim – the "six orders"), though that term is more often used for the Talmud as a whole. The six orders are: Zera'im ("Seeds"), dealing with prayer and blessings, tithes and agricultural laws (11 tractates) Berakhot· Pe'ah· Demai· Kil'ayim· Shevi'it· Terumot· Ma'aserot· Ma'aser Sheni· Hallah· Orlah· Bikkurim Mo'ed ("Festival"), pertaining to the laws of the Sabbath and the Festivals (12 tractates) Shabbat· Eruvin· Pesahim· Shekalim· Yoma· Sukkah· Beitza· Rosh Hashanah· Ta'anit· Megillah· Mo'ed Katan· Hagigah Nashim ("Women"), concerning marriage and divorce, some forms of oaths and the laws of the nazirite (7 tractates) Yevamot· Ketubot· Nedarim· Nazir· Sotah· Gittin· Kiddushin Nezikin ("Damages"), dealing with civil and criminal law, the functioning of the courts and oaths (10 tractates) Bava Kamma· Bava Metzia· Bava Batra· Sanhedrin· Makkot· Shevu'ot· Eduyot· Avodah Zarah· Avot· Horayot Kodashim ("Holy things"), regarding sacrificial rites, the Temple, and the dietary laws (11 tractates) Zevahim· Menahot· Hullin· Bekhorot· Arakhin· Temurah· Keritot· Me'ilah· Tamid· Middot· Kinnim and Tehorot ("Purities"), pertaining to the laws of purity and impurity, including the impurity of the dead, the laws of food purity and bodily purity (12 tractates). Keilim· Oholot· Nega'im· Parah· Tohorot· Mikva'ot· Niddah· Makhshirin· Zavim· Tevul Yom· Yadayim· Uktzim In each order (with the exception of Zeraim), tractates are arranged from biggest (in number of chapters) to smallest. A popular mnemonic consists of the acronym "Z'MaN NaKaT."[4] The Babylonian Talmud (Hagiga 14a) states that there were either six hundred or seven hundred orders of the Mishnah. Hillel the Elder organized them into six orders to make it easier to remember. The historical accuracy of this tradition is disputed. There is also a tradition that Ezra the scribe dictated from memory not only the 24 books of the Tanakh but 60 esoteric books. It is not known whether this is a reference to the Mishnah, but there is a case for saying that the Mishnah does consist of 60 tractates. (The current total is 63, but Makkot was originally part of Sanhedrin, and Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia and Bava Batra may be regarded as subdivisions of a single tractate Nezikin.) Interestingly, Reuvein Margolies (1889–1971) posited that there were originally seven orders of Mishnah, citing a Gaonic tradition on the existence of a seventh order containing the laws of Sta"m (scribal practice) and Berachot (blessings). [4] Ronald L. Eisenberg, "Rabbinic Literature," in The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2004), pp. 499–500.