The Gemara is a body of literature within the Talmud. The Talmud is an expansive work that contains rabbinical teachings from roughly AD 200—600, broadly divided into two parts: the Mishnah and the Gemara. After the Mishnah was completed around AD 200, its content was subjected to intense study and debate by scholars for centuries. The discussions and teachings of these later scholars were recorded to form the Gemara, which functions as a sort of commentary on the Mishnah. The content of the Gemara goes beyond simply a commentary, however: it also contains commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures, parables and explanatory narratives, practical guidance for life, and discussions on Jewish theology. All these different categories are woven into a rich commentary on Jewish faith and practice.