and the Rights of fucceeding them; lastly, of buying and felling.

The Fourth Sanhedrin, which gives an Account of the Great Senate and (other) inferiour Courts of Judicature, of the Caufes cognizable, and Crimes punishable by them, with other Matters of the like import.

The Fifth Makkoth, which treats of the Forty Stripes, Deut.25.3. and gives the Reafons why the Rabbies fubftracted one from that Number, and an Account of the Ancient Custom of inflicting the faid Punishment.

The Sixth Shevouoth, which treats of the Laws of Oaths, and fhews what Persons are qualified to take an Oath, and what are not, &c.

The Seventh Edaioth, which treats of Evidences or Teftimonies, i. e. of the Decifions of feveral important Questions collected from the Teftimonies of fome of the most eminent and famous Rabbies.

The Eighth Horaioth, which difcourfes concerning the Punishment that was to be inflicted ou that Person who fhould prefumptuously do or teach any thing in Opposition to the Decrees and publick Decifions of the Sanhedrin.

The Ninth Avoda Zara or Avodath Chochabim, which treats of Idolatry and of our Obligation to avoid all Conversation with Idolaters.

The Tenth Aboth, which gives an Hiftorical Account of thofe Fathers who in their refpective Ages fucceffively deliver'd and prefery'd the Oral Law receiv'd (as we have already

M

already faid) from Mofes himself, as also of fome moral Sayings and pious Maxims of the faid Fathers.

The Fifth general Head (entituled Kodafim) treats of the Laws pertaining to Sacrifices, Oblations, and in a Word, all Religious Performances; and contains eleven Books, viz.

The First is entituled Zebachim, and difcourses of Sacrifices, fhewing of what Nature and Quality they ought to be, at what Time, in what Place, and by whom they were to be kill'd, prepared and offer'd.

The Second, Cholin; and treats of clean and unclean Animals, and fhews how far the Ufe of each of them is allow'd or prohibited.

The Third, Menachoth, and treats of the Oblations of Flour and Wine, and Oyl proper to each Sacrifice.

The Fourth, Bechoroth, and difcourfes of the Laws relating to the First-born of living Creatures, fhewing how they are either to be offer'd or redeem'd with Money.

The Fifth, Erachin, and treats of the Valuation and Tithing of fuch Things as are devoted to God Almighty's Service, in order to their being redeem'd and apply'd to common and ordinary Ufes.

The Sixth, Temurah, and fhews how far it may be allow'd to exchange one facred Thing for another.

The Seventh, Meilah, and explains the Nature of Sacriledge, and wherein it conifts.

The

The Eighth, Kerittoth, and explains the Nature of that Punishment, which is call'd in the Law, the being cut off from his People, and fhews what Offenders were liable to it.

The Ninth, Tamid, and treats of the daily Sacrifice, how, and when it was to be offer'd.

The Tenth, Middoth, and difcourfes of the Dimensions and Proportions of the Temple.

The Eleventh, Kinnim, and treats of the Turtles or young Pigeons, which the Poor, whofe Abilities could not reach an higher Sacrifice, were obliged to offer.

The Sixth general Head, (which is enti tuled Tabaroth) treats of the general Laws pertaining to Pollutions and Purifications. Under it are comprised the following Books,

viz.

Firft, Kelim, which difcourfes of all thofe Pollutions incident to Veffels, Utenfils, &c. and how they are to be cleanfed.

Second, Oholoth, which fhews how fuch Pollutions as are contracted by the Tabernacles and Dwelling-Houfes, or any part of them, are to be purified.

Third, Negahim, which difcoufes of the Laws relating to Leprofie, and how any Pollution may be derived from it.

Fourth, Parah, which fhews how any Un cleannefs contracted by approaching to a dead Body may be purified by the Ashes of a Red Heifer.

Fifth, Taharoth, which difcourfes of thofe Pollutions that are contracted otherwife than

by the Touch of a dead Body, and how they are to be cleanfed.

Sixth, Mikvaoth, which treats of the Laws pertaining to the Baths appointed for Purification of either Sex.

Seventh, Nidda, which treats of the Laws relating to the Pollutions and Purifications of menftruous Women, &c.

Eighth, Machfirin, which thews how any Seeds or Fruits by the Mixture of Liquids are apt to receive Pollution.

Ninth, Zabim, which difcourfes of the Purifications of fuch as are afflicted with the Bloody-flux.

Tenth, Tibbul Jom, which discourses of the Party whofe Uncleanness, however contracted, is not done away till the going down of the Sun, on that Day on which he is washed. Eleventh, Fadaiim, which difcourfes of the Ceremoies used, in the washing of the Hands." Twelfth, Oketzim, which fhews how the touching of the Stalk, or the like, of any fort of Fruit, may derive a Pollution upon the Fruit it felf..

Thus having accounted for all the Parts of the Mishna, with an agreeable Brevity and Perfpicuity, what we hall further obferve is.

First, That fo foon as it was committed to Writing in fuch manner as we have above declared, it was received by all our Nation with a general Confent, and was fo univerfally approv'd by them that it was embraced, as an Authentick Body of the Law, and taught

taught in all our publick Schools, as well in Babylon as in the Holy Land.

Secondly, We fhall obferve, that the Mishna being deliver'd only in Aphorifmis and fhort Sentences, was thought to need fome larger Explication to render it the more eafie and intelligible.

This Advantage it did within a fhort time after its firft Publication receive thro' the fingular Industry of feveral eminent and learned Men, who in their respective Ages and Schools taught and expounded the Meaning of those fhort Sentences to their Scholars, and illuftrated all the difficult and lefs obvious Paffages of the Mishna, with proper and useful Comments and Inftances; this is what we call the Gemara, and the Authors of it morai or Gemarifts, who made it their Bufinefs to cull out fuch or fuch Propofitions, and to debate them among themfelves in order to fix a true and certain Senfe upon them; concerning both of them, we fhall as to the feveral Periods and the Authors of it, add the following Remarks.

The Gemara, or Expofition of the Mishma was first begun at Jerufalem in the Time of R. Judas his two Sons, being the first Expofitors, at which Time flourish'd alfo R. Hiab, R. Ofhaya Rabba, which has writ a Treatife, entituled Berefaith Rabba, which contains nothing elfe but an Explication of the Mifma; and another of the fame Nature, entituled Tofaphtha, though fome I know attribute it to R. Hiab About this Time two of R. Judas's Scholars, viz. Rab and Samuel, repaiM 3 ring