Sifra

• Common names – ²ספרא,³ תורת כהנים
• Other names – ספרא דבי רב⁴

3rd century

Sifra was redacted in Eretz Yisrael.

Mishnaic Hebrew

• Manuscripts – Vatican 66, Breslau 108 (currently in the JTS library, JTS Rab. 2171), Vatican 31, Parma 139, Oxford 151, London 341.⁵
• Printings – 
• I.H. Weiss published an edition of Sifra in Vienna, 1862.⁶ To this day, Sifra is cited according to this edition. The edition has references to parallels and concise interpretive notes.
• L. Finkelstein published (1983-1992) a critical edition of the first two dibburim of Sifra (Nedavah and Chovah) in five volumes. Each volume is distinct, as follows: an introductory volume, a text volume with parallels and a concise commentary,⁷ a volume of textual variants, a volume of extensive commentary, and an index volume⁸.
• Two manuscripts have been printed as facsimile editions: Vatican 66⁹ (New York, 1957, with an introduction by L. Finkelstein) and Vaticacn 31 (Jerusalem, 1972).
• Textual layers – Scholars have identified a core of Sifra to which several sections were added.¹⁰
  
  • The core sections include expositions on: Vayikra 1:1-7:38, 10:8-18:6, 18:19, 18:24-20:5, 20:22-27:34.
  • The appended sections include:
    The baraita of the thirteen rules of Torah exposition (י"ג מידות שהתורה נדרשת בהן), appearing at the beginning of Sifra, ¹¹מכילתא דמילואים, expounding Vayikra 8:1-10:7,¹² and מכילתא דעריות, expounding 18:1-7,¹³ 20:6-22, and, out of order at the end of the unit, a section on 18:18 and 18:28.
  
  
  
  
  

• midrash halakhah

• The core portions of Sifra (see above, Textual layers) are divided into twelve¹⁴ sections called dibburim or megillot, each with its distinct name, as follows:
  Nedavah (or Vayikra) – 1:1-3:17
  Chovah (or Nefesh) – 4:1-5:26
  Tzav – 6:1-7:38
  Sheratzim – 10:8-12:8
  Nega’im – 13:1-59
  Metzora – 14:1-57
  Zavim – 15:1-33
  Acharei – 16:1-18:30
  Kedoshim – 19:1-20:27
  Emor – 21:1-24:23
  Sinai – 25:1-26:2
  Bechukotai – 26:3-27:34
  See above, Textual layers regarding the additional sections of Sifra.
  Each dibbur (or megillah) is further subdivided into parashot, perakim, and halakhot.

• Sifra differs from other midreshei halakhah by its relative lack of aggadah, and its particularly lengthy deliberations. See also, Introduction to the Midreshei Halakhah.

– Sifra makes more extensive use of Mishnah than other midreshei halakhah.

• – 

• – Sifra is cited and discussed widely by many medieval exegetes. Notably, Rashi cites it extensively in his commentary on Vayikra.

• – The Talmud Bavli discusses many baraitot that are extremely similar to sections of Sifra.¹⁵
  Commentaries of Rishonim:¹⁶
  R. Avraham b. David (Ra’avad)¹⁷
  Rabbenu Hillel¹⁸
  R. Shimshon of Sens¹⁹
  Many Acharonim have authored commentaries on Sifra.²⁰
  See also above, Printings, for the commentaries contained in the critical editions of Sifra.