Midrash

Midrash

Midresh- in Hebrew means interpretation. Midreshim are the interpretation, investigation, study of the biblical story in the tanach. Every word in the torah has meaning. The midrashim often predated the mishna. The midrashim started first orally and then where written down in 2nd CE. There are two types of Midrashim: Midresh Aggada in Hebrew interpretation of stories. Midresh Aggada focuses on biblical narratives. Midresh halakha (legal) - interprets of the legal implication of a biblical passage. Rabbi Aqiba focused on the production of halakhic midrashim. Ishmael Ben Elisha focuses on the haggadic misrashim.