Tamid is the ninth tractate in Kodashim, which is the fifth of the six orders of the Mishnah, Tosefta, and the Talmud. The main subject of Tamid is the morning and evening burnt offerings, but it also deals with other Temple ceremonies. The tractate includes information about the Temple Service from sages who had been present at the Temple and witnessed the service. This tractate contains few disagreements between the sages and few exegetical derivations. It is written as a historical description of the service.

Mishnah

The Mishnah on Tamid is divided into seven chapters (six in Lowe's edition of the Mishnah), containing 34 paragraphs in all:

Talmud

The extant gemara on Tamid in the Babylonian Talmud covers only three chapters of the tractate (chapters 1, 2, and 4). It is the shortest tractate of gemara in the Babylonian Talmud consisting of only seven pages. There are approximately only 4,600 words in the tractate. It contains several sayings and ethical maxims of importance, as well as stories and legends of much interest. For example: "The Pentateuch and the writings of the Prophets and the mishnaic sages contain specific exaggerated expressions which can not be taken literally, such as, 'The cities are great and walled up to heaven' ". It also contains legends concerning Alexander the Great, his conversation with the sages of the South, his journey to Africa, and his adventures among the Amazons and at the gate of paradise.

Commentaries

Rishonim

Almost none of the famous early commentators extended their work to Tamid. Surviving commentaries include:

Acharonim