taken in writing, but even when the Oral Literature was collected, and
arranged as a book, it is believed by many authorities that the book so
compiled remained for a considerable period an oral and not a written
book.

This book was called the _Mishnah_ (from the verb _shana_, "to repeat"
or "to learn"). The Mishnah was not the work of one man or of one age.
So long was it in growing, that its birth dates from long before the
destruction of the Temple. But the men most closely associated with the
compilation of the Mishnah were the Tannaim (from the root _tana_, which
has the same meaning as _shana_). There were about one hundred and
twenty of these Tannaim between the years 70 and 200 C.E., and they may
be conveniently arranged in four generations. From each generation one
typical representative will here be selected.

THE TANNAIM

First Generation, 70 to 100 C.E.
JOCHANAN, the son of Zakkai

Second Generation, 100 to 130 C.E.
AKIBA

Third Generation, 130 to 160 C.E.
MEIR

Fourth Generation, 160 to 200 C.E.
JUDAH THE PRINCE

The Tannaim were the possessors of what was perhaps the greatest
principle that dominated a literature until the close of the eighteenth
century. They maintained that _literature_ and _life_ were co-extensive.
It was said of Jochanan, the son of Zakkai, that he never walked a
single step without thinking of God. Learning the Torah, that is, the
Law, the authorized Word of God, and its Prophetical and Rabbinical
developments, was man's supreme duty. "If thou hast learned much Torah,
ascribe not any merit to thyself, for therefor wast thou created." Man
was created to learn; literature was the aim of life. We have already
seen what kind of literature. Jochanan once said to his five favorite
disciples: "Go forth and consider which is the good way to which a man
should cleave." He received various answers, but he most approved of
this response: "A good heart is the way." Literature is life if it be a
heart-literature--this may be regarded as the final justification of the
union effected in the Mishnah between learning and righteousness.

Akiba, who may be taken to represent the second generation of Tannaim,
differed in character from Jochanan. Jochanan had been a member of the
peace party in the years 66 to 70; Akiba was a patriot, and took a
personal part in the later struggle against Rome, which was organized by
the heroic Bar Cochba in the years 131