Jacob Neusner is Distinguished Research Professor of Religious Studies at the University of South Florida and Professor of Religion at Bard College, New York. He is the author of numerous publications, the most recent being The Intellectual Foundations of Christian and Jewish Discourse.

• Preface 1. The Pentateuchal Stage 2. From Scripture to the Mishnah 3. The Mishnah on its own: The Initial Statement 4. The Mishnah in Pentateuchal Context: Continuity and Change 5. The Talmuds: The Conclusive Statement 6. The Talmuds in Pentateuchal Context: Israel in History Acknowledgements and Bibliography Index

'... the reader is invited to engage himself in a provocative world of arguments and statements.' - Wout J. van Bekkum, Journal for the Study of Judaism