"This book offers a new introduction to early Rabbinic literature, exploring the distinctive nature of these foundational works of Jewish thought. It offers readers not an intimate understanding of how Midrash and Mishnah function and essential tools for engaging with these texts in depth. The early rabbinic period produced two major literary formations--Mishnah and Midrash--which have since remained central pillars of Jewish textual tradition: the systematic study of scripture through Midrash and the thematic study of halakha through Mishnah. In many ways, all subsequent rabbinic literature emerged from the framework established by these two genres. The Mishnah, for the first time in Jewish intellectual history, presented a comprehensive legal system independent of the Bible, encompassing a remarkably broad spectrum of legal topics--from ritual law to civil disputes, capital legislation, marital status, and beyond--woven into a coherent and autonomous legal corpus. Midrash is the first comprehensive running commentary of the Pentateuch, marked by its interpretive freedom and creative playfulness. Through a systematic analysis and hundreds of examples, this book serves as a hands-on companion to the Mishnah and Midrash in action, offering readers a deeper appreciation of their structure, methodology, and enduring impact"--