talmidim

Talmidim is a Hebrew term traditionally meaning students or disciples. The singular is talmid, the feminine form talmidah, with plural forms talmidim for masculine or mixed groups and talmidot for feminine groups. The root L-M-D underlies the sense of learning, and talmidim can refer to anyone engaged in study under a teacher, mentor, or rabbi. In rabbinic and Talmudic literature, the word commonly designates the pupils of a teacher, especially within a yeshiva or study circle. The phrase talmidei chachamim, meaning “students of the wise (men),” reflects a formal teacher–student relationship central to traditional Torah study.

In modern Hebrew, talmid is used more broadly to denote a student in various fields, not exclusively religious. The construct form talmidei is used in expressions such as talmidei chachamim or talmidei tarbut, conveying “students of” a given group of teachers or scholars.

In Christian usage, talmidim appears in translations and discussions to refer to Jesus’s followers, often rendered in English as “disciples.” The term thus appears in interfaith and historical studies as a representation of discipleship and learning within a semitic linguistic framework.

Culturally, the concept of talmidim encompasses the mentorship and reciprocal obligations within the student–teacher bond, a recurring motif in Jewish educational settings—from synagogue study sessions to formal yeshiva programs. The term thus carries both historical and contemporary significance in Jewish learning and related contexts.