Gemara

Gemara, meaning “completion” or “learning,” describes the extensive rabbinic discussions that explain, question, and expand the Mishnah. These discussions include legal reasoning, narrative examples, scriptural interpretation, and debate among generations of teachers. The Gemara does not function as a separate law code; instead, it records how the Mishnah was studied and applied in lived contexts. Together with the Mishnah, the Gemara forms the Talmud, preserving the process of rabbinic learning rather than only its conclusions.