Corona Siyum Shas Mishnayot

The Gemara continues discussing the conduct of the Sages, citing that Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And the faith of your times shall be a strength of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge, the fear of the Lord is his treasure” (Isaiah 33:6)? Faith; that is the order of Zera’im, Seeds, in the Mishna, because a person has faith in God and plants his seeds (Jerusalem Talmud). Your times; that is the order of Moed, Festival, which deals with the various occasions and Festivals that occur throughout the year. Strength; that is the order of Nashim, Women. Salvations; that is the order of Nezikin, Damages, as one who is being pursued is rescued from the hands of his pursuer. Wisdom; that is the order of Kodashim, Consecrated Items. And knowledge; that is the order of Teharot, Purity, which is particularly difficult to master. And even if a person studies and masters all of these, “the fear of the Lord is his treasure,” it is preeminent.

And when the redactor thought to compose this book upon this structure, he saw [fit] to divide it into six divisions:

The first division is of the commandments that are obligated with that which grows from the ground, like forbidden mixtures, the sabbatical year, orlah, the priestly and levitical tithes and the other statutes of the presents [from the field].

The second division is of the seasonal times of the year and the holidays and that which we are obligated about them, and the differences in their laws, and that which is forbidden in them and that which is permitted in them, and those laws and commandments which are proper to associate with each of their times.

The third division is of sexual relations, and the distinctions that exist in the laws between men and women – for example, levirate marriage, release (chalitsah), marriage contracts, betrothals, divorce bills and that which is fitting to say about each of its sections.

The fourth division is of civil laws, disputes between a man and his fellow, commerce, give and take (sales and purchases), and land partnerships and that which is similar to it.

The fifth division is of the matters of the sacrifices, according to the differences of their laws and the multiplicity of their topics.

The sixth division is of the matter of [types of] purity and their opposite.

And he called each of its divisions, Order – [such that] the first division is the Order of Seeds (Zeraim); the second is the Order of Appointed Time (Moed); the third is the Order of Women (Nashim); the fourth is the Order of Damages (Nezikin); the fifth is the Order of Holy Things (Kodashim); and the sixth is the Order of Purities (Tahorot). (And their mnemonic is zeman nakat ).

And he began with the Order of Seeds because it includes the commandments specific to the seed of the earth. And the seed of the earth is the sustenance of all animals, and since it is impossible for man to live without eating food, the service of God would not be possible [without it]. And because of this, he began by speaking about the commandments specific to the seed of the earth.

And afterwards, he spoke about the Order of Appointed Time, as the way of their arrangement in the Torah is like this, as it is stated (Exodus 23:10-11). "Six years you shall sow (your field and six years shall you prune your vineyard) [your land] and gather in its yield; but in the seventh you shall let it rest and lie fallow." and it states afterwards (Exodus 23:12), "Six days you shall do your work," and afterwards (Exodus 23:14), "Three times a year you shall hold a festival for Me."

And afterwards, he saw [fit] to begin with the laws of women before the laws of damages in order to follow the Scripture that stated (Exodus 21:7), "When a man sells his daughter as a slave," and (Exodus 21:22), "When men fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman," and afterwards (Exodus 21:28), "When an ox gores a man." And because of this, he had the Order of Women precede the Order of Damages.

And the Book of Exodus includes these four topics, the topic of the Order of Seeds and the Order of Appointed Time and the Order of Women and the Order of Damages.

And after he spoke about the matter of Exodus, he spoke about the matter of Leviticus, according to its arrangement, and he arranged Holy Things after Damages.

And afterwards Purities – as so did Scripture arrange them – and he had the law of sacrifices precede before the law of [types] of impurities and purities, as behold, it only began the [topic of purity] in Parshat Shemini

And when he gathered all of these six general types of commandments, he saw [fit] to divide each of these categories to more specific categories, according to what is fit. And he called the name of each one of the specific [categories], tractate. Afterward, he divided the material that is in each of the specific categories into sections and he called each one, chapter. And afterward, he divided the material of each chapter into small sections that are clear to understand and easy to know by heart and to teach, and he called the name of each one of these small sections, law (halacha [more commonly referred to as mishnah]).