THE SPANISH TRADITION

The tradition was to recite the Mishnah aloud (Tractate Abodah Zarang 19a) with a tune.

The melody used by the Western Sephardim to recite the Mishnah survives in the cantillation for Pirkei Abot. Some research has been carried out on various surviving Sefardi mishnah recital traditions, for example by Frank Alvarez-Pereyre.

A Moroccan version has been preserved here. There are also recordings of Ribbi David Kadosch reciting Mishnah Abot, in a tune that is very similar. These chanting tunes are descended from the Mishnah study tunes of Spain, which in turn are descended from those of Palestine. A small segment of mishnah is recited in the Western sephardi cantillation on weekday shaharit, Amar Ribbi Eliengezer

The Medrash EtsHaim is currently producing an audio edition of the Mishnah with English audio translation and paraphrase for students. This bilingual version is not chanted.

The first step for an aspiring Talmid Haham, is to acquire broad knowledge as quickly and expeditiously as possible: Detailed analysis with commentaries must come later. This is why the Spanish Jews printed accurate editions of the Mishnah without commentaries. Students were expected to have studied the entire Mishnah, before advancing to the study of Talmud.

We reject the current fashion of throwing yeshibah students into in-depth study of Guemara, before they have mastered the Mishnah. Even once the Guemara is first approached, the initial emphasis needs to be on the simple meaning of the text, and a rapid survey of the entire text of the two Guemaras - both the Babylonian and the Palestinian.

Only after this has been achieved, is a student ready to read more deeply. By this stage, the student will have begun to swim in the Sea of the Talmud, rather than striking out for deep waters before they learn to become a strong swimmer.

MISHNAH IN AUDIO FOR STUDYING

This reading is from the Livorno (Altaras) edition of the Mishnah, which is the most accurate edition of the Mishnah that is in accord with the textual tradition of the sages of Sepharad.

The Medrash EtsHaim audio mishnah can be found here.

AUDIO REVISION WHILE SLEEPING

Having an audio edition will also help with learning and consolidation, as listening to audio cues while you sleep helps consolidate what you leaned earlier in the day, according to the latest research.

Therefore, we highly recommend that you play back what you studied during the day while you are sleeping.

Occasional publication of materials to the Medrash EtsHaim Youtube Channel will continue, but the focus is now on audio.

A TUNE FOR THE MISHNA

The text was studied with a tune, to help with memorisation, and to help prevent the student falling asleep. Reading aloud in this way also provides exercise to the body, which is important when studying for long periods of time every day.

The earliest reference to the definite modulation of the Scripture occurs in the Babylonian Talmud (Meg. 32a), where R. Johanan deprecates the indifference of such as "read [the text] without tunefulness and repeat [the Mishnah] without song."

The tune used in London for learning the Mishnah has fallen into disuse - however, a survivor of the original tune 'Amar Rabbi Eleazar' appears to be preserved in the liturgy, and is similar to the tune that was used by Reverend Benarroch at the synagogue of the Sephardim, in the City of London, for reciting Mishnah Aboth. We will use a system of cantillation based on this tune.

The translation of the Mishnah: The first translation of substantial parts of the Mishnah into English was commissioned by the Mahamad of Bevis Marks Synagogue, and issued by Rabbi D.A. De Sola in January 1845. There were many earlier translations into Spanish.

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