The Structure and Division of "Torat Kohanim" (A): Scrolls / מבנהו וחלוקתו של מדרש תורת כוהנים. א: מגילות (לקודיקולוגיה התלמודית הקדומה)

The division of Torat Kohanim into nine large sections is already mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud, repeated in late midrashim, and is also attested to in manuscripts of the midrash. This article attempts to establish the original division on the basis of the information provided by all the manuscripts of the Sifra. Another aim is to characterize the nature of the division. An examination of the division indicates that it is not arranged according to the content of the midrash, but rather reflects an old physical division of the composition in nine scrolls. This conclusion has important implication regarding the problem of the commitment to writing of Jewish oral literature, which is dealt with in the last part of the article.