Mishnah"Widely recognized as the first codification of Jewish law, the Mishnah is dated to the early third century CE, originated in the land of Israel, and was disseminated — scholars debate whether orally or in writing — by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. It preserves centuries of Jewish legal opinions and debates, organized into 63 tractates (masekhtot), which are organized into six orders (sedarim) covering agriculture, holidays, personal status, damages, sacrifices, and matters of purity. The Mishnah and its commentary (the gemara), together compose the Talmud, the basis of the Oral Torah."