Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament (TRENT) is a major new six-volume work of scholarship that provides an exhaustive collection of early rabbinic traditions and commentary on their relevance to the New Testament.

Focusing on 63 rabbinic traditions central to ancient Jewish life, David Instone-Brewer’s massive study provides significant insights into Jewish thought and practice prior to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. For each rabbinic tradition considered, the supporting Hebrew source text is provided side by side with an English translation. Instone-Brewer also presents evidence that exists for accurately dating these rabbinic sources — a critical task recently advanced by modern dating techniques. He goes on to thoroughly discuss the meaning and importance of each rabbinic tradition for Second Temple Judaism, also analyzing any echoes or direct appearances of the tradition in the New Testament writings.

In this first TRENT volume, Instone-Brewer examines texts relating to prayer and agriculture. The first section includes texts dealing with when and how to recite the Shema, the Eighteen Benedictions, and other blessings and prayers. The second section contains texts on a wide variety of considerations related to agriculture, such as the “leftovers” to which the poor were entitled, tithing, “mixed” foods and other products, Sabbath Year activities, offerings, and so on.

Sure to be a standard reference work for students of both Judaism and Christianity, TRENT provides for the first time a ready resource on rabbinic traditions originating in the New Testament era.

Features of TRENT:

• Discusses 63 topics that illuminate ancient Jewish life
• Follows the traditional order of subject divisions in the Mishnah
• Presents Hebrew/Aramaic texts in parallel with a literal English translation and notes on variants
• Provides dating evidence along with degree of certainty
• Offers commentary on the meaning and significance of rabbinic traditions in Second Temple Judaism
• Highlights the presence of rabbinic traditions in the New Testament writings
• Includes a full glossary of rabbinic terminology

INTRODUCTION TO RABBINIC TRADITIONS
The Authors of Rabbinic Literature
Collections of Rabbinic Traditions
The Structure of Rabbinic Law
Editions and Translations
Rabbinic Generations
Dating Rabbinic Traditions

TRACTATE BERAKHOT: BLESSINGS (PRAYER)
Definitions and Outline
M.Ber.1.1-2: When to recite the Shema
     m.Ber.1.1a: From when should you recite the evening Shema?
     m.Ber.1.2: From when should you recite the morning Shema?
     m.Ber.1.3–2.4: How to recite the Shema
     m.Ber.1.3: Should you stand and recline for the Shema?
     m.Ber.1.4: Long and short blessings with the Shema.
     m.Ber.1.5: The 'Exodus' in the Shema
M.Ber.2.5–3.6: Who recites the Shema?
     m.Ber.2.5: Shema is not performed on the wedding night
     y.Ber.2.8.I 21a: Noncompulsory observances are not prohibited
     m.Ber.3.1: Shema is not performed by the bereaved
     m.Ber.3.3: Shema is not performed by women, slaves, or children
M.Ber.4.1-4: When to pray the Eighteen Benedictions
     m.Ber.4.1: Times for praying the Eighteen
     m.Ber.4.3: The Eighteen Benedictions and abstracts of them
     t.Ber.3.7 (Z 3.11; cf. b.Ber.29b): Eliezer's abstract
     m.Ber.4.4: R. Eliezer: Prayers should not be fixed
     b.Ber.34a: Shortened and lengthened prayer
     t.Ber.3.11: Sabbath Benedictions on an ordinary festival day
     t.Ber.3.13 (Z 3.15): Sabbath Benedictions on a holyday
M.Ber.4.5–5.2: How you should pray the Eighteen
     m.Ber.4.5-6: Stand, and turn to the Temple to pray
     m.Ber.4.7: The Additional Prayer
     m.Ber.5.2: Inserting Rain and Separation in the Eighteen
M.Ber.5.3-5: Errors when you pray the Eighteen
     m.Ber.5.3: Unallowed phrases in public prayer
     m.Ber.5.5b: Fluent Prayers of Hanina b. Dosa
M.Ber.6.1-8: Blessings and Grace after Meals
     t.Ber.4.1: A blessing must be said before food is eaten
     m.Ber.6.5: Which blessings include other types of food?
     m.Ber.6.8: Three Benedictions of the Grace after Meals
M.Ber.7.1-5: Saying Grace after Meals for a group
     m.Ber.7.1-2: People excluded from saying the Grace after Meals
     m.Ber.7.3: Calling for the Grace before different numbers of eaters
     m.Ber.7.5b: Blessing for the final cup of wine
M.Ber.8.1-8: School rulings concerning meals
     m.Ber.8.1: Order of blessing for the day and for the wine
     m.Ber.8.2-4: Hand washing and related matters during meals
     m.Ber.8.5: Blessings for the lamp and for the spices
     m.Ber.8.7: If you forget to say Grace after Meals
     m.Ber.8.8: The blessing for only one cup of wine
     t.Ber.5.30b (Z 5.32): The blessing for only one cup of wine
     t.Ber.5.29 (Z 5.30): Blessing for the final cup of wine and the oil
M.Ber.9.1-5: Other blessings
     t.Ber.5.30c (Z 5.33): Blessings in the schoolhouse
     m.Ber.9.5b: Disrespectful behavior on the Temple Mount
     m.Ber.9.5c: Blessings in the Temple and God's name in greetings
The Eighteen Benedictions
     The Palestinian (Genizah) version
     Comments on the Eighteen Benedictions
     Dating of the Eighteen Benedictions
     The Eighteen Benedictions and the New Testament
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE PEAH: LEFTOVERS OF HARVEST FOR THE POOR
Definitions and Outline
M.Pea.1.1-3: What proportion of a crop is leftovers?
     m.Pea.1.1: Things which have no measure, and bear fruit in this world
M.Pea.1.4-6: Crops subject to leftovers, and to tithes
     m.Pea.1.6: Designating peah before tithing
M.Pea.2.1-4: What defines a single area for leftovers?
     m.Pea.2.1: Landmarks defining borders for leftovers
     m.Pea.2.4: Trees form a single unit for peah
M.Pea.2.5–3.4: Borders of a mixed crop
     m.Pea.2.6: The ancient basis for 'two types of wheat'
     m.Pea.2.7-8: Digression: When are you exempt from leftovers?
     m.Pea.3.1: Trees as boundaries for leftovers
M.Pea.3.5-8: Multiple ownership of a field
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.4.1-9: Restricting access of the poor to leftovers
     m.Pea.4.5: When can the poor collect peah?
     m.Pea.4.7-8: Dedicating and redeeming crops during harvest
M.Pea.4.10-11: Defining 'gleanings'
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.5.1-3: Poor portion which became mixed with the crop
     m.Pea.5.1a: Gleanings mixed in with collected produce
     m.Pea.5.2b: A single stalk of gleanings mixed in with produce
M.Pea.5.4-6: Who is a 'poor' person?
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.5.7–6.6: When is a sheaf forgotten?
m.Pea.6.1a: Is ownerless property only for the poor?
m.Pea.6.1b-3: Distinctive crop cannot be forgotten
m.Pea.6.5: How many sheaves can be forgotten?
m.Pea.6.6: How large a sheaf can be forgotten?
t.Pea.3.8b (Z 3.13b): The man who gave thanks for forgetting a sheaf
M.Pea.6.7–7.2: Unharvested crop which cannot be forgotten
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.7.3: Peret — separated fruit
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.7.4-8: Olelot — defective bunches of fruit
     m.Pea.7.6: Can the poor take any fourth-year fruit?
     m.Pea.7.8a: Defective bunches dedicated to the Temple
     t.Pea.3.15 (Z 3.21): Dedicated vineyards are exempt from some laws
M.Pea.8.1: The poor collect leftovers first
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.8.2-4: The poor do not tithe the poor tithe or leftovers
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Pea.8.5-7: How much poor tithe do you give someone?
     m.Pea.8.7: Food for the wandering poor and for the local poor
M.Pea.8.8-9: Who is 'poor' enough for poor tithe?
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     m.Yad.4.3: Poor man's tithe outside Israel
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE DEMAY: DOUBTFULLY TITHED FOOD
Definitions and Outline
M.Dem.1.1–2.1: What can be suspected of being doubtful?
     m.Dem.1.1a and t.Dem.1.1a: Uncultivated food is exempt
     m.Dem.1.3: Food not for eating or not from Israel is exempt
     t.Dem.1.26-28 (Z 1.20): Some spiced oils and meal offerings are exempt
M.Dem.2.2–4.2: Special circumstances re doubtfully tithed food
     m.Dem.2.2a: How to be a Trusted one
     m.Dem.2.3a: How to be an Associate
     t.Dem.2.12 (Z 2.9c): How long before you trust an Associate?
     m.Dem.3.1: Who can be fed with doubtfully tithed food?
M.Dem.4.3–5.2: How to recognize and process doubtfully tithed food
     m.Dem.4.3: The poor tithe from doubtfully tithed food
M.Dem.5.3-11: Doubtfully tithed food from different sources
     m.Dem.5.9: Do the Samaritans tithe properly?
M.Dem.6.1-12: How farmers should tithe
     m.Dem.6.1a, 2a: When and how do tenant farmers tithe?
     m.Dem.6.6: Only sell olives to someone who tithes properly
M.Dem.7.1-6: When you cannot tithe doubtfully tithed food before eating
     m.Dem.7.1: Eating doubtfully tithed food on a Sabbath
M.Dem.7.7-8: When tithes become doubtful
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE KILAYIM: MIXTURES
Definitions and Outline
M.Kil.1.1-6: Which plants form mixtures?
     m.Kil.1.1: Wheat and tares planted together
M.Kil.1.7–2.5: Farming with mixtures of plants
     m.Kil.1.7: Grafting onto a different plant
     m.Kil.2.6: The distance between furrows of different plants
M.Kil.2.6–3.7: Separating mixtures of plants
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Kil.4.1–5.8: Vineyards
     m.Kil.4.1: Distances in the middle and edge of a vineyard
     m.Kil.4.5: How many vines are 'sanctified' by different plants?
     t.Kil.3.17 (Z 3.14b): What is the status of a caper bush?
     m.Kil.5.3: Sowing in a ditch, a winepress, or under the watchtower
M.Kil.6.1—7.8: Vine trellises
     m.Kil.6.1: The minimum size and distance for a vine trellis
     m.Kil.7.1 and t.Kil.4.11 (Z 4.9): An underground vine shoot
M.Kil.8.1-6: Mixtures of animals
     m.Kil.8.1: Introductory summary of mixtures
M.Kil.9.1-10: Mixtures in garments
     m.Kil.9.3: Towels can sometimes be 'garments'
     m.Kil.9.8: Mixtures of threads woven together
     t.Kil.5.27 (Z 5.14b): Garments of the High Priest contain mixtures
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     m.Sheq.1.2: Inspecting the land for mixtures
     b.Men.40a: Linen garments are allowed woollen tassels
Summary And Conclusions

TRACTATE SHEBIIT: SABBATH YEAR
Definitions and Outline
M.Shebi.1.1-8: Tending orchards before the Sabbath Year
     m.Shebi.1.1: Ploughing an orchard
M.Shebi.2.1-10: Tending fields before the Sabbath Year
     m.Shebi.2.1: Ploughing a field
     t.Shebi.1.5 (Z 1.6): Watering saplings until the New Year
     t.Shebi.2.6a (Z 2.5a): Plants which continue to grow after New Year
M.Shebi.3.1–4.6: Tending fields during the Sabbath Year
     m.Shebi.4.1: Produce from a field which was not neglected
     m.Shebi.4.2: Produce from a field which was not neglected
     m.Shebi.4.4: Clearing trees in the Sabbath Year
M.Shebi.4.7–5.9: Gathering Sabbath Year produce
     m.Shebi.4.10: Cutting off fruit-bearing branches
     m.Shebi.5.4: Digging up arum lily roots
     m.Shebi.5.8: Providing agricultural tools in the Sabbath Year
     t.Shebi.4.5b (Z 1.3b): Selling a field during the Seventh Year
M.Shebi.6.1–7.7: Produce which is liable to removal
     m.Shebi.6.2: Sabbath Year in Syria
M.Shebi.8.1–9.1: Commerce and use of Sabbath Year produce
     m.Shebi.8.3: Selling produce gathered in the Sabbath Year
     t.Shebi.6.19 (Z 6.11a): Selling Sabbath Year produce for coins
     t.Shebi.7.6 (Z 7.3c): Selling Sabbath Year food for peace offerings
M.Shebi.9.2-9: Removal of Sabbath Year produce
     m.Shebi.9.5: Removal when a crop disappears from the field
M.Shebi.10.1-9: Loans in the Sabbath Year
     m.Shebi.10.3: Origin of the prozbul (loans via the court)
     m.Shebi.10.4: Wording of the prozbul
     m.Shebi.10.7: A prozbul requires security
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     m.Sot.7.8: Agrippa in the Sabbath Year Temple ceremony
     m.Bek.8.10: What reverts to the original owner in Jubilees?
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE TERUMOT: ELEVATION OFFERINGS
Definitions and Outline
M.Ter.1.1-3, 6: Who may elevate?
     m.Ter.1.1: Five kinds of people may not elevate elevation offerings
     t.Ter.1.1a: Deaf-mutes can supervise pure things
     t.Ter.1.6 (Z 1.6a): Thieves can offer tithes and dedications
     t.Ter.3.1 (Z 3.1a): Why the drunk cannot elevate elevation offerings
M.Ter.1.4-5, 1.7–3.2: From what can you elevate?
     m.Ter.1.4: Do not elevate crop on behalf of the processed product
     t.Ter.3.16 (Z.3.15): Some processed crops may be elevated for crops
     m.Ter.1.5: Do not elevate from what does not belong to you
     t.Ter.2.5 (Z.2.4b): You can elevate from one variety for another
     t.Ter.2.14a: You can elevate produce which has not grown one third
     t.Ter.3.12 (Z.3.11): Tithing before the impurity of treading grapes
     m.Ter.1.8 and t.Ter.3.14a (Z.3.13): Elevate grapes after treading them
M.Ter.3.3–4.6: How does one elevate?
     m.Ter.3.9: Gentiles and Samaritans can tithe and elevate
     m.Ter.4.3: Average elevation of an elevation offering is one-fiftieth
M.Ter.4.7–5.9: Neutralizing elevation offerings
     m.Ter.4.7: Elevation offering is neutralized by one hundred parts
     m.Ter.5.1: Elevation offering in less than one hundred parts
     m.Ter.5.2: Elevation offering in one hundred parts or more
     m.Ter.5.4: Impurity of elevation offering is not neutralized
M.Ter.6.1–8.3: Wrongful consumption of elevation offerings
     m.Ter.6.4 and t.Ter.7.8a: Stolen elevation offerings and dedications
     m.Ter.6.5: Recompense for accidentally eating some elevation offering
     m.Ter.8.2b: If you find you are eating unlawful food, spit it out
     m.Ter.7.2: When a priest's daughter cannot eat elevation offering
M.Ter.8.4-12: Spoiled food
     m.Ter.8.4: Uncovered drinks are spoiled by reptiles
     m.Ter.8.6: Beware of snake bites in fruit or animal carcasses
     t.Ter.7.11 (Z 7.11-12): Food spoiled by insects
M.Ter.9.1–11.5: Food produced from elevation offerings
     m.Ter.9.4: Crops grown from consecrated food
     m.Ter.10.5: Tainting by fenugreek
     m.Ter.10.9: Pickling brine is not tainted by unclean locusts
     m.Ter.11.5: Uneaten portions of consecrated food
     t.Ter.10.12: Products from the filtered lees of consecrated wine
M.Ter.11.6-10: Elevation offering containers and non-food Items
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     m.MS.2.3-4: Consumption of consecrated fenugreek and vetches
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE MAASEROT: TITHES (FIRST TITHE)
Definitions and Outline
M.Maas.1.1-7: The earliest and latest time to tithe
     t.Maas.1.1a (Z 1.1): Produce becomes untithed at the end of processing
     m.Maas.1.5: When exactly is the last stage of processing?
     t.Maas.1.7 (Z 1.7-8a): Tithing wine which is dedicated and redeemed
M.Maas.2.1-4: Eating untithed food before reaching home
     m.Maas.2.4: Snacks after tithing has started but not finished
M.Maas.2.5-6: Eating untithed food which you paid for
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Maas.2.7–3.3: Eating untithed food given as payment
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Maas.3.4-10: Eating Untithed Food Found in a Public Place
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Maas.4.1-5a: Produce which might not be fully processed
     m.Maas.4.2: Snacks after intending to tithe produce
M.Maas.4.5b-5.8: Produce which might not be food
     m.Maas.4.5b: Tithing leaves and seeds of herbs
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE MAASER SHENI: SECOND TITHE
Definitions and Outline
M.Ms.1.1-7: Purchasing and selling second tithe produce
     m.MS.1.3-4: Purchasing second tithe produce which has containers
     m.MS.1.5-6: Spending second tithe improperly
     m.MS.1.7: What you cannot purchase with second tithe silver
M.Ms.2.1-4: Using second tithe produce
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Ms.2.5-10: Mixing consecrated and deconsecrated coins
     t.MS.2.4 (Z 2.6): Accidental mixing of consecrated coins with others
     m.MS.2.7-9: Exchanging second tithe silver for other coins
M.Ms.3.1–3.4: Spending second tithe silver
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Ms.3.5-8: Second tithe inside and outside Jerusalem
     m.MS.3.5: Second tithe produce may not leave Jerusalem
     m.MS.3.6: Second tithe after produce came from Jerusalem
     m.MS.3.7: Trees and rooms partly inside and outside Jerusalem
M.Ms.3.9-13: Second tithe produce which became impure
     m.MS.3.9: Second tithe produce of Jerusalem which became impure
     t.MS.2.16c (Z 2.18c): Where to eat redeemed impure second tithes
     m.MS.3.13a: How a vendor can sell wine but not the corked jug
M.Ms.4.1-7: The cost of redeeming second tithe produce
     t.MS.3.13-14 (Z 3.13): Second tithe after Jerusalem's destruction
     t.MS.3.15 (Z 3.14) : Eating doubtful second tithe without setting it aside
M.Ms.4.8-12: Spending and storing second tithe silver
     m.MS.4.8b: How little second tithe silver must be counted as 'spent'
M.Ms.5.1-5: Fourth-year produce of vineyards
     m.MS.5.2: What fourth-year produce can be redeemed?
     t.MS.5.18 (Z 5.11b): Can you prune fourth-year fruit?
     t.MS.5.19 (Z 5.11c): Do you redeem grapes or wine?
     t.MS.5.20 (Z 5.11d): Can a fourth year coincide with a Sabbath Year?
     t.MS.5.22 (Z 5.12b): If you accidentally dedicate some second tithe
M.Ms.5.6-15: Removal of consecrated produce
     m.MS.5.6: The time and process of removal
     m.MS.5.7: Redeeming or destroying produce subject to removal
     m.MS.5.10-13: The ancient confession of Removal
     m.MS.5.15: The Removal confession finished after Johanan
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     t.San.2.6: Letters from Rn. Gamaliel
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE HALLAH: DOUGH OFFERING
Definitions and Outline
M.Hal.1.1-3: Species which are liable to dough offering
     m.Hal.1.3: Food which is liable to dough offering but not to tithes
M.Hal.1.4-8: Dough which is exempt from the dough offering
     m.Hal.1.6: Are pancakes/wafers or dumplings/cakes liable?
M.Hal.1.9–2.2: The holiness of dough offering
     m.Hal.2.1: Dough offering from produce outside the Land
M.Hal.2.3-8: How to separate the dough offering
     m.Hal.2.4: Portions of 1 qab can combine to become liable
     m.Hal.2.5: A dough offering separated from flour is not valid
M.Hal.3.1-6: When to separate a dough offering
     m.Hal.3.3: Dedicating dough to the Temple and redeeming it
     m.Hal.3.4: Dedicating and redeeming crops during harvest
M.Hal.3.7–4.6: Dough offerings from mixtures or different batches
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Hal.4.7-11: Dough offerings from outside the Land
     m.Hal.4.7: Dough offering and tithes from Syria
     m.Hal.4.10-11: Bringing offerings to Jerusalem
Related Early Traditions from Other Tractates
     m.Ed.1.2: A dough offering from one qab or two?
     m.TY.1.1a: Combining lumps of dough or a dough offering
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE ORLAH: FOREFRUIT OF YOUNG TREES
Definitions and Outline
M.Orl.1.1-5: Which trees are subject to forefruit?
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Orl.1.6-9: Forbidden produce of forefruit trees
     m.Orl.1.7: Non-food and non-fruit portions of forefruit plants
M.Orl.2.1-3: Tainting by a measure of forefruit (and others)
     m.Orl.2.1: Combining of similar sources of tainting
M.Orl.2.4-17: Tainting by the effect of forefruit (and others)
     m.Orl.2.4-5: Tainting by leavening or flavoring
     m.Orl.2.11-12: Combining leavening sources of tainting
     m.Orl.2.13: Tainting leather goods with impure oil
M.Orl.3.1-9: Tainting by forefruit (and others), even outside the Land
     m.Orl.3.9: Forefruit inside and outside the Land
     t.Orl.1.8: No forefruit outside the Land
Related Early Traditions From Other Tractates
     m.Qid.1.9: Commandments which are dependent on the Land
     m.Meil.4.3: Combining similar impure sources of tainting
Summary and Conclusions

TRACTATE BIKKURIM: FIRSTFRUITS
Definitions and Outline
M.Bik.1.1-11: Who can bring firstfruits and who can recite?
     m.Bik.1.3: Bring the seven species before Shabuot (Pentecost)
     m.Bik.1.6b: Bringing firstfruits after Shabuot (Pentecost)
     m.Bik.1.8: Firstfruits which are lost or spilled in the Temple Court
M.Bik.2.1-5: Comparing firstfruits with tithes and elevation offerings
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Bik.2.6-11: Other comparisons
     m.Bik.2.9-10: A koy is both like a farm animal and like a wild animal
M.Bik.3.1-7: Bringing firstfruits to the Temple
     m.Bik.3.2: A division of priests gathers before going to Jerusalem
     m.Bik.3.3: Procession to Jerusalem with firstfruits
     m.Bik.3.4-5: Carrying firstfruits through Jerusalem to the Temple
     m.Bik.3.6: Offering the firstfruits and reciting
     m.Bik.3.7: Help with reciting for firstfruits
M.Bik.3.8-12: Offerings accompanying the firstfruits
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
M.Bik.4.1-5: Comparison of hermaphrodites with men and women
     (No traditions contain any evidence of originating before 70 CE)
Summary and Conclusions

GLOSSARY & INDEXES
Grammatical Differences with Biblical Hebrew
Transliteration
Glossary of Technical Vocabulary
Index of Named Individuals and Places
Index of Subjects
Index of References to Ancient Literature