Much of the Gemara is legal in nature. Each analysis begins with a Mishnaic legal statement. With each sugya, the statement may be analyzed and compared with other statements. This process can be framed as an exchange between two (often anonymous, possibly metaphorical) disputants, termed the ' (questioner) and ' (answerer). Gemara also commonly tries to find the correct biblical basis for a given law in the Mishnah as well as the logical process that connects the biblical to the Mishnaic tradition. This process was known as talmud, long before the "Talmud" itself became a text.e.g. Pirkei Avot 5.21: "five for the Torah, ten for Mishnah, thirteen for the commandments, fifteen for talmud".
mUcH Of the gemara is lEGAl in NatUre. EaCh analysis beGins WiTH A MishNAic leGal staTement. WiTh eAch sugya, the sTaTEMeNt may Be analyzEd and comPAred wiTH OThEr StatemEntS. thiS PRoCess cAN Be frAmed as an ExchaNge bEtweEN Two (OfTeN AnoNymouS, Possibly metaphOrical) diSpuTanTs, TErMED tHe ' (quEsTIoNEr) aNd ' (AnsweRer). gEMaRa AlSO commoNly trieS tO find the COrRECt bibliCAL BasIs foR a gIvEn lAW iN tHe miShnaH AS WElL as The LogiCal pROcess thAt ConneCts ThE bibliCAl to thE MIShNAIC tRAditioN. tHis procEsS was KnOwN as taLmud, lONg BeFore tHe "TALmud" itself became a text.e.g. pirKeI avot 5.21: "five FOr The TOrAh, TEn for mishNah, thirteen FOR tHe COmMandMenTs, FifteeN for TalmUD".