Understanding Mishna

The AMDAT Method

Dear John

Dear John:

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are

not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I

have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever

happy--will you let me be yours?

Jane

Dear John,I want a man who knows what

love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are

not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have

ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings

whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let

me be?

Yours,Jane

The Learning Goal

• TLW be able to “breakdown” and learn a Mishna on his/her own using the AMDAT

method

What is the AMDAT Method?

• Strategy for understanding format of, and “breaking down”, the Mishna.

• Name is acronym for 4 components found in a Mishna

• Locating these four components allows the student to learn a novel Mishna on their own.

AMDAT- Four Components

• : The person making a statement or ruling

• : The case we are discussing

• : The Halachik ruling or decision

• : Reason for the ruling

Individual WhiteBoard

• is an acronym for the four components of a Mishna.

• On the piece of paper, please write the four components of the method and a brief explanation of each component.

• You have 1 minute and 30 seconds to complete this task

Individual WhiteBoard

• Now, I will randomly redistribute these papers to the class. It is OK if you receive your own paper.

• While I review the correct answers, please check the paper you were given and correct any mistakes or omissions you notice on that paper.

• If there are no mistakes or omissions, put a big check next to that component.

AMDAT- The “Keys”

• When the Mishna provides a statement without a name, we call him .

• There can be multiple cases discussed in one Mishna.

• Key words to look for: , , , or

• Key words to look for: (because), (in order that), and (for the sake of)

IMPORTANT NOTE

• ALL four components are not always found in every Mishna.

• Some Mishnayot only mention 2 or 3 out of the four components.

Helpful Tool- Chart

Let’s Try It Together!

- Who Said It?

- What’s the Case?

- What’s the Ruling?

- What’s the Ruling?

On Yom Kippur, it is forbidden to eat, drink, wash, anoint oneself, wear

leather shoes, or have marital relations. A king and a bride can wash their face. A

woman who recently gave birth may wear leather shoes. These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. The Sages say that it is

forbidden in these cases as well.

Fill In Chart

Forbidden to eat, drink,

wash, anoint oneself, wear

leather shoes, or have

marital relations

( )

May wash face King or Bride

May wear leather

shoes

Woman who recently

gave birth

These actions are

forbidden even for a

king, bride, and

woman who just

gave birth

Both of R’

Eliezer’s cases

Check Answers

Let’s Celebrate!

• Choose one of the following topics and create your own Mishna on that topic using at least 3 out of the four AMDAT components. You should be able to explain the “Mishna” you create and locate the AMDAT components