Ok, I'm interested in the rabbis that go back to the 3rd century before the Talmud was put to paper. Would you mind mentioning at least one of these rabbis and the section of the Talmud?

Also, just for everyone's information, there is a website with the TaNaKh (The Old Testament), Mishna, the Yerushalemi(Jerusalem) Talmud, and Bavli (Babylonian) Talmud. The biggest problem for most here is that they are in Hebrew. Good Luck!

Ish

OK, Ish, sorry to answer so late, I've finally found my Talmudic Encyclopaedia (left under my Islam Research books, what blasphemy!). Here:



Rabbi Hosh'ayah (Hosiah) and Rabbi Bar Kappara lived in the 3rd century BCE before the Talmud was put into paper. They are listed among the Tanna'im (writers of the Mishnah, the oral Torah), but also among the Amora'im (writers of the Talmud, the Commentary). They appear in Pirkei Avot (Chapters of the Fathers), which is of the Mishnah, and in the Talmudic commentary of Mo'ed, tractate Beitsa (egg). The boundary is, therefore, not so definite. The 3rd century BCE is the fuzzy line between Mishnah and Talmud. The Talmudic commentary must have begun in the 4th century BCE, and the Mishnah was sealed in c. 200 BCE, but in between the two coexisted.


Yay! Snunit! You've really picked out the best of the bunch, Ish. But there are also in English as well, such as Torah.Net. Do a search for "daf yomi" (daily paper of Talmud) and you'll find enough materials in English.