Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Kiddushin 59:10

לעולם ישלש אדם שנותיו שליש במקרא שליש במשנה שליש בתלמוד מי יודע כמה חיי לא צריכא ליומי

because they used to count all the letters of the Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To safeguard the correctness of the text. Soferim is taken in the original sense of its root safar, 'to count'.');"><sup>19</sup></span> Thus, they said, the waw in gahon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whatsoever goeth upon the belly (iujd) - Lev. XI, 42.');"><sup>20</sup></span> marks half the letters of the Torah; darosh darash,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. X, 16: And Moses diligently enquired after - darosh darash - the goat of the sin-offering.');"><sup>21</sup></span> half the words; we-hithggalah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 33: we-hithggalah, then he shall be shaven. [In M.T. the words 'he placed on him' (Lev. VIII, 8) is given as the middle verse.]');"><sup>22</sup></span>

Daf Shevui to Kiddushin

R. Safra offers a sort of pun on the word “veshinantem” which in its simple meaning means to teach. Rather than teaching, one should divide one’s learning into three. The first third should be devoted to the study of Mikra, what we call Bible. The second third to Mishnah. This probably refers to more than just what we call the “Mishnah.” It would refer to any text that simply states the halakhah without discussing. Talmud would not refer to what we call the Talmud—such a book did not yet exist. It would refer to either midrashim—support for halakhah from the Torah, or explanations of the underlying reasons for the halakhah.
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