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"The Talmud has two components: the Mishnah (Hebrew: משנה, c. 200 CE), the first written compendium of Judaism's Oral Law, and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), an elucidation of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on the Hebrew Bible." -Wikipedia

So, long story short:

Talmud (means instruction) is the second important text after the Torah. It is the rabbinical writings. It has two parts: First, Mishnah, the earliest collection of those writings, laws based on Torah but not of the Torah. Second, Gemara, explanation of Mishnah and other stuff. The production of Talmud was chiefly in Babylon (where some Jews remained after the Babylonian captivity), after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Targum (means Explanation) is basically commentaries of Torah.

Update 5/14/2026:

After joining the Christian Underground to Muslims, I've learned much to add here, using Google AI:

The Oral Torah (Torah Sheb'al Peh) is the body of laws, interpretations, and traditions in Rabbinic Judaism believed to have been transmitted orally from God to Moses on Mount Sinai, alongside the Written Torah. It explains the practical application of biblical commandments and was codified into the Mishnah and Gemara (together forming the Talmud) around 200–500 CE. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Core Components and Purpose

• Definition: It consists of 613 commandments given to Moses, including interpretations and legal details not explicitly detailed in the Five Books of Moses.
• Purpose: To explain the cryptic, often ambiguous, or incomplete instructions within the Written Torah, such as specifying what constitutes "work" on the Sabbath.
• Transmission: Traditionally passed down through an unbroken chain of teachers to students to maintain personal, living connection and engagement with the material.
• Codification: Due to the risk of being forgotten during the hardships of exile, it was recorded in the Mishnah (c. 200 CE) and later the Gemara. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Main Texts of the Oral Torah

• Mishnah: The initial, concise collection of oral laws compiled by Rabbi Judah the Prince.
• Gemara: A comprehensive collection of Rabbinic analysis, commentary, and debates on the Mishnah.
• Talmud: The combination of the Mishnah and Gemara. There are two versions: the Babylonian Talmud (more widely studied) and the Jerusalem Talmud.
• Midrash: Interpretive explorations of the text, often offering legal or ethical lessons. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Principles

• Halacha (Law): The binding legal rulings deduced from study and tradition.
• Aggadah (Narrative): Philosophical, ethical, and narrative discussions.
• 13 Principles: The Talmudic hermeneutical rules used to interpret the Written Torah. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The Oral Torah is essential for the practice of Rabbinic Judaism, enabling the law to be applied to new circumstances throughout history.

Do all Jews believe that Oral Torah as orally transmitted from God to Moses in Judaism?

No, not all Jews believe that the Oral Torah was orally transmitted from God to Moses at Mount Sinai. This specific belief is a fundamental tenet of Orthodox Judaism, but Jewish denominations vary significantly in how they view the origin, divinity, and authority of the oral tradition. [1, 2]

Perspectives by Denomination

Historical Differences

• Ancient Sects: During the Second Temple period, the Sadducees rejected the oral traditions completely. They adhered strictly to the Written Torah, whereas the Pharisees championed the Oral Law (and became the ancestors of modern Rabbinic Judaism).
• Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews): Because they were isolated from mainstream global Jewry for centuries, they historically practiced a form of Judaism based entirely on written texts (the Octateuch) and did not possess the Talmud or Oral Torah traditions until modern integration into Israel. [1, 2, 3, 5]

Would you like to explore how Karaite Jewish practices differ without the Oral Torah, or see examples of how the Talmud interprets vague written biblical laws? [1, 2, 3, 4]