Who developed the Oral Torah?
Actually, the Oral Torah was developed by the Pharisees and later rabbis. The Pharisees made these adaptations before 70 CE when the rabbinical period began, and the rabbis continued the practice, which created rabbinical Judaism.
What is the origin of the Torah?
According to Jewish tradition, two Torahs were received on Mount Sinai -- one written, and one passed down orally for generations. Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses. , they probably imagine the scroll read each week in the synagogue.
What is the difference between the written and Oral Torah?
According to Rabbinic Judaism, the Oral Torah or Oral Law ( Hebrew: תורה שבעל פה, Torah she-be-`al peh, lit. "Torah that is on the mouth") are those purported laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah ( Hebrew: תורה שבכתב, Torah she-bi-khtav, lit.
Why do some rabbis preach “the Oral Torah”?
Many rabbis preach this view despite it being untrue to encourage Jews to obey the Oral Torah teachings believing that God ordered them to do so. Actually, the Oral Torah was developed by the Pharisees and later rabbis.
When did the oral Torah blossom?
The general scholarly and rabbinical view is that the Oral Torah blossomed during the Second Temple period, when Judeans, as Jews were called at that time, who had returned from the Babylonian exile were faced with new problems that the Torah did not address and others that were addressed but needed updating to fit the situations they found. The Chassidic Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen Rabinowitz of Lublin (1823–1900) wrote, in Machshavot Charutz (Sharp Thoughts) 139, that the Oral Torah burst into full bloom around 150 BCE, when Jews began to integrate scientific findings of nature and logic into their understanding of the Torah. (Others give the approximate date 330 BCE when Jews came into contact with Greeks). He felt that the Oral Torah was used extensively after the last prophets died when it was no longer possible to learn proper behavior from God, and Jews had to rely on their interpretation of the Torah. “And although (the Oral Torah) was not evident (in the Written Torah) it revealed (the Torah’s goal).”
Who gave Moses the oral Torah?
Many people think that the Oral Torah was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Many rabbis preach this view despite it being untrue to encourage Jews to obey the Oral Torah teachings believing that God ordered them to do so. Actually, the Oral Torah was developed by the Pharisees and later rabbis. The Pharisees made these adaptations before 70 CE ...
Why is Judaism different from Torah?
In short, Judaism today is radically different than Torah Judaism because the rabbis found it necessary to adapt Torah laws. These adaptations, called Oral Torah, began as early as the time of Moses and blossomed during the middle of the Second Temple period.
When did the oral Torah burst into full bloom?
The Chassidic Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen Rabinowitz of Lublin (1823–1900) wrote, in Machshavot Charutz (Sharp Thoughts) 139, that the Oral Torah burst into full bloom around 150 BCE, when Jews began to integrate scientific findings of nature and logic into their understanding of the Torah.
When did the Pharisees adapt to the Torah?
The Pharisees made these adaptations before 70 CE when the rabbinical period began, and the rabbis continued the practice, which created rabbinical Judaism. An excellent source showing the development of Oral Torah is the three-part series by Rabbi Binyamin Lau, The Sages. Here is what I wrote in my Mysteries of Judaism I book.
Who is Israel Drazin?
Dr. Israel Drazin served for 31 years in the US military and attained the rank of brigadier general. He is an attorney and a rabbi, with master’s degrees in both psychology and Hebrew literature and a PhD in Judaic studies. As a lawyer, he developed the legal strategy that saved the military chaplaincy when its constitutionality was attacked in court, and he received the Legion of Merit for his service. Dr. Drazin is the author of more than 50 books on the Bible, philosophy, and other subjects.
How many pages are in the oral Torah?
However, the Oral Torah is the equivalent of thousands of pages of text. The probability is almost zero that any group of people could have committed that much information to memory and transmitted it orally across thousands of years and many lands in a way that enabled it to remain intact from Mount Sinai.
What does the Torah tell us?
A simple reading of the Torah tells us that we require more information, whether to interpret unclear phrases, to give us context, or to teach us how to apply the law to new cases. What the idea of Oral Torah tells us is that all this additional material is part of Torah, from G-d.
What is the oral law?
The Oral Law consists of three components: 1. Laws Given to Moses at Sinai ( Halachah L'Moshe M'Sinai): When Moses went up to heaven to receive the Torah, G‑d gave him the Written Torah together with many instructions. These instructions are called "Halachah L' Moshe M'Sinai" (the Law that was given to Moses on Sinai).
What is the Torah's rule about light fire?
For instance: One of the rules is: "Anything that was included in a general statement, but was removed from the general statement in order to teach something, was not removed to teach only about itself, but to apply its teaching to the entire generality." An example for the usage of this rule is: In Exodus 35:3 the Torah says "You shall not light fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbat day." Now, kindling a fire was already included in the general statement that prohibits work on Shabbat ( Exodus 20:10). It was removed from the general rule and stated independently in this verse to teach us that it is a distinct form of work and, as such, carries a distinct penalty. Moreover, this lesson applies to each of the 39 categories of work included in the general statement. Thus, there isn't a broad category called "work," rather each type of work is to be viewed as distinct. Therefore, if someone should do several kinds of work while unaware that they are forbidden on Shabbat, he must bring a separate sin-offering to atone for each type of work that he did.
Why did Moses wait to find out what to do with those who were impure?
In Numbers 9, Moses waited to find out what to do with those who were impure, because that law had not yet been taught to him, either in Written Torah form or in Oral Torah form. The same applies to the blasphemer (Leviticus 24) and daughters of Zelofchad. I dont see the issue.
How many books are in the Torah?
The Torah has two parts: The "Torah Shebichtav" (Written Law), which is composed of the twenty-four books of the Tanach, and the " Torah Sheba'al Peh" (Oral Law). G‑d told Moses 1 that he will give him "the Torah and the commandments.". Why did G‑d add the word "commandments?".
When there is a doubt concerning a Torah law, one must be stringent?
One of the distinctions is that when there is a doubt concerning a Torah law one must be stringent, whereas if there is a doubt in a rabbinic decree one may be lenient . [In case of an actual dilemma, always make sure to ask a rabbi what to do.]
What is oral Torah?
The Oral Torah refers to the later works of the rabbinic period — most prominently the Mishnah and the Gemara, jointly known as the. Pronounced: TALL-mud, Origin: Hebrew, the set of teachings and commentaries on the Torah that form the basis for Jewish law.
What is the classic statement of the authority of the oral Torah?
The classic statement of the authority of the Oral Torah is found in the first. close. Mishnah. Play. Pronounced: MISH-nuh, Origin: Hebrew, code of Jewish law compiled in the first centuries of the Common Era. Together with the Gemara, it makes up the Talmud. in.
What is the Mishnah and Gemara?
Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. — that explain and expound upon the statutes recorded in the Written Torah.
How many Torahs were read on Mount Sinai?
According to Jewish tradition, two Torahs were received on Mount Sinai -- one written, and one passed down orally for generations. Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses. , they probably imagine the scroll read each week in the synagogue. But that scroll, which consists of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, ...
What is the law of kashrut?
Or consider one of the most expansive and detailed areas of Jewish law: the regulations around dietary practice, known as kashrut. The Written Torah states twice, in Exodus 23:19 and Deuteronomy 14:21, that it is forbidden to “boil a kid in its mother’s milk.”.
How many books are in the Torah scroll?
But that scroll, which consists of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is only part of what Jews mean when they refer to Torah. The scroll read in synagogue consists of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Along with the latter books of the Prophets and the Writings — 24 books in all ...
What commandment did the Holy One give to Moshe?
Know that each commandment that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to Moshe, our teacher – peace be upon him – was given to him with its explanation. He would say to him the commandment and afterward tell him its explanation and content; and [so too with] everything that is included in the Book of the Torah.
How many Torahs are there?
As mentioned earlier, there are two “Torahs”: the Written and the Oral. In Jewish tradition, both were given to Moses at Mt. Sinai and during the forty years in the desert, and taught to the whole nation. [In fact, when Judaism says “G-d gave the Torah to Moses at Sinai” it is talking only about the Oral — otherwise, ...
How many Mitzvos are there in the Torah?
There are many reasons, but think of this. The Torah contains 613 Mitzvos, their many and detailed instructions and the information needed to apply them to every possible circumstance that history can throw at the Jewish people (e.g. electricity and the Sabbath).
How long have the Torah and Mitzvos been with us?
Both have been with us, according to Jewish sources, for all of the past 3300 years. And without both, it is impossible to fully understand traditional Jewish teaching or thought. The Written Torah, mentiones each of the Commandments, or Mitzvos, only in passing or by allusion. The Oral Law fills in the gaps.
What did Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi write down?
Rabbi Yehuda, therefore, wrote down the bare basics in the Mishna. A couple of centuries of hardship and persecution later, the rabbis of Babylonia saw a need to record even more detail and compiled a written version of what is known as the Talmud. Somewhere in between, the rabbis of Israel had begun work on a “Jerusalem Talmud” which is still an important part of the Jewish library, but, due to Roman/Christian persecution, was never really finished.
Can you write down the oral law?
Writing down the Oral Law in a book you’d be able to carry on something smaller than the average bus, yet which contained all of the detail and variety we’ve discussed, is simply not practical. Now that Rabbis have devoted themselves to writing down their oral teachings, libraries of Jewish books, all “Torah”, have been published. Furthermore, reading such a book in a way that keeps the flavor of a living Torah — one you’ve learned from a living teacher who learned from his living teacher who learned from his… is also a challenge. So in the best of all possible worlds, the oral Torah would have best been kept oral — but we simply cannot remember it all.
Is the Talmud still oral?
Does that mean that, now, in the imperfect world in which we live, that we no longer have the real thing? Jewish tradition says no. Despite the fact that we have printed versions of the Talmud and many other books as well, the Oral Torah is still oral at its essence. For one thing, it’s nearly impossible to master the logic and style of the Talmud without a real, live teacher. As brilliant as you might be, and even with an English translation, it will probably remain a confused collection of scattered ideas and disjointed reasoning until you’re given the key by an expert. We’re forced, therefore, to take our Talmud with a dose of the oral Torah.
What is the oral Torah?
The oral Torah was considered a legally binding commentary on the written Torah, interpreting and explaining how its commandments are to be carried out.
How many times larger is the oral Torah than the written Torah?
This explains why the oral Torah (as expressed in the two Talmuds) is at least 50 times the size of the written Torah. This also explains the importance of dialog and community in understanding Torah. Indeed, the written Torah is considered to be an abridgment or subset of the much more vast oral Torah.
What is the Gemara in the Talmud?
Since the Gemara functions as a commentary to the Mishnah, the orders of the Mishnah form a general framework for the Talmud as a whole (however not every Mishnah tractate has a corresponding Gemara). With the rise of Rabbinical Judaism Torah came to mean something far more than the written words of Moses.
What is the word for the Torah scroll?
The words that Moses finally committed to writing in the Torah scroll ( ספר תורה) is called Torah shebikhtav ( תורה שבכתב ). According to this view, there were actually two Torahs given to Moses on Sinai: the written Torah and the oral Torah, and together these are considered the full revelation of the Torah.
Why did Yeshua do the last Passover?
Yeshua did this in order to fulfill the requirement of the Torah and to become a sacrificial victim on behalf of Temple Judaism (for more information, see: Yeshua's Pidyon ha-ben ceremony). The Last Passover of Yeshua also indicates that He observed elements of the oral traditions.
Why does Karaite Judaism reject the authority of Rabbinical interpretations and the oral Torah?
Karaite Judaism rejects the authority of Rabbinical interpretations and the oral Torah because the Mishnah (i.e., the written down form of the oral Torah) quotes different opinions that contra dict one another.
Why do we need the oral tradition?
We need the Oral Tradition to explain God's Word.". The interpretation of God's words could "fill the world with books" ( Eccl. 12:12, John 21:25 ), and therefore the oral Torah is considered infinite, just as the ways of the LORD are considered infinite.
Who taught oral Torah?
Many of the teachings of Oral Torah was also practiced and taught by Rabbi Yeshua. In fact, all of the instances that are used against Rabbinic Judaism are the very instances that Yeshua was observing the Oral Torah!
What did Rabbi Yeshua say about Torah?
Rabbi Yeshua told his followers to follow and observe the teachings and instructions of the Rabbis (Mat 23:1-3) but not to be hypocrites like the corrupted ones. No different than any Jewish teaching against hypocrisy. That is certainly a Torah-observant statement as we know the commandment written in Deut. 17:8-12. This would indicate that he upheld all or at least the majority of the Rabbinic provisions, Halachot (protocol for keeping commandments) and fence laws in addition to the actual written Torah. He also said that he didn’t come to change the Torah, and that if anyone kept and taught others to keep even the smallest commandments of the Torah that they would be considered great. He also stated that if any broke the commandments and taught others to break them that they would be considered least. (Mat 5:17-20) Those statements certainly indicate that Torah observance was important to him. When Rabbi Yeshua was asked, what was the greatest commandment in the Torah, Yeshua replied with the beginning of the most important scriptural prayer that every Jew recites 2 times each day, the Shema (Mark 12:28-30) which is found in the Torah. That should give serious credence to the statement that Rabbi Yeshua was certainly Torah observant and that he lived and taught Torah observance according to Rabbinic institution. Another extremely vital point to make, is that the Shema is the very scroll that is put inside of the boxes of the Teffilin and in Mezuzzah. For him to make such a profound statement to his students and to the people around him when asked about the most important commandments and recites the beginning of the Shema… it is more than reasonable to assert that he surely layed Teffilin as any good Jew does. In fact it is not reasonable to even assume that he didn’t put on Teffilin, based on these facts that the NT does clearly indicate. Something that else that needs to be considered. The New Testament constantly speaks of Rabbi Yeshua being a “Tzadik” or a “righteous person.” We know that when a Jew is referred to as a “Tzadik” it means that they have to be Torah observant. In fact, it means that their Torah observance has to exceed and surpass the Letter of the Law. That is what that word means. All the Sages were referred to as Tzadikim.
Why does the NT stress Torah?
The reason being is because, the people of the New Testament already had the Tenakh (Old Testament) as a normative guideline of how to keep the laws of HaShem and how to be an observant Jew. There was basically no need to stress Torah observance in that way, but yet, as I have provided, there are clear indications that prove Rabbi Yeshua did in fact observe Oral and Written Torah. Rabbi Yeshua would not have been able to have such a large following if he was not Torah observant, for people were calling him the Messiah. And the Jews of that day knew that the Messiah must be Torah observant according to the prophecies of the Tenakh. They would never have referred to him as a Tzadik had he not been Torah observant. Even in educational Jewish learning books, such as the Encyclopedia Judaica, says that “the New Testament provides us with undeniable evidence that Yeshua did not oppose any prescription of the Written or Oral Torah. ”
What is the greatest commandment in the Torah?
When Rabbi Yeshua was asked, what was the greatest commandment in the Torah, Yeshua replied with the beginning of the most important scriptural prayer that every Jew recites 2 times each day, the Shema (Mark 12:28-30) which is found in the Torah.
What did the prophet Tzitzit wear?
Here is a key point. Because, we understand that the NT clearly records his Torah observance in terms of wearing holy garments. It would be reasonable to assert and to make a educated guess that he would have surely layed Teffilin. Especially since the commandment of Tzitzit is closely related and associated with Mezzuzah (scroll affixed on door post) and Teffilin, all elements of the Oral Torah.
Who said the attitude of Yeshua to the Torah is the same as one finds among the masters of hal?
QUOTES FROM OTHERS. Yehezkel Kaufmann , a famous Jewish author on Jewish thought, said that, “The attitude of Yeshua to the Torah is the very same attitude one finds among the masters of halakhah and aggadatta who followed in the Pharisaic tradition.”.
Who told the man to pick his bed up and carry it on Shabbat?
When Rabbi Yeshua told the man to pick his bed up and carry it on Shabbat he was not denouncing the Rabbinic authority or the Oral Torah, he was in accordance to the Rabbinic authority and the Oral Torah.
What is the Torah that Moses received?
According to Jewish teaching when Moses received the Torah at Sinai, he also received what is known as the Oral Torah. This was not written down but was transmitted by Moses in spoken form and then passed on orally from teacher to student in an unbroken chain that is said to lead back to Moses. The Tractate Avot 10.1 states: ‘Moses received this law (Oral Law) from Mt Sinai and delivered it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders (the judges), the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Great Synagogue (the sopherim / scribes in the time of Ezra).’ This means that from the time of Moses until Rabbi Judah Hanasi began to compile the document called the Mishna (a period of about 1500 years) the Oral Torah was passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation.
When was the Jerusalem Talmud written?
In around 200 CE Rabbi Judah Hanasi decided that the time had come to write down the Oral Law. He wrote down what the rabbis remembered of the oral traditions. He put those recollections together, edited them and the result was the Mishna (which means repetition). A commentary on the Mishna was added called the Gemara, the entire compilation being known as the Jerusalem Talmud which was completed in around the year 350. In around 500 CE a second Talmud was completed in Babylonia and was called the Babylonian Talmud.
Why did the Rabbis say Jews should study in synagogues?
Moreover, they argued that all Jews should study in local synagogues, because Torah is ‘the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob’ (Deut. 33: 4). The traditions which later were written down as the Oral Torah arose out of this stream of Judaism.
Why is the Mishna called the Mishna?
This codification was known as the Mishna. One reason for this name was that it was meant to be reviewed (shana) over and over until memorized . The word also denoted that the Mishna was secondary (sheni) to the Written Torah. It was required that the oral tradition be handed down word for word, exactly as it had been taught. The sages who taught this first Mishna were known as Tannayim, Tanna in the singular. This word comes from the Aramaic word tanna, equivalent to the Hebrew shana meaning “to repeat.” http://www.aish.com/jl/b/ol/48943186.html
How did Ben Zakkai recreate Judaism?
Ben Zakkai recreated Judaism without the need for the Temple and its sacrifices. This involved changing the Torah commands that ritual atonement is gained through the blood of the sacrifices: ‘The life of the flesh is in the blood. It is the blood that make atonement for the soul.’ Leviticus 17.11. According to the classic midrash in Avot D’Rabbi Nathan (4:5): ‘The Temple is destroyed. We never witnessed its glory. But Rabbi Joshua did. And when he looked at the Temple ruins one day, he burst into tears. ‘Alas for us! The place which atoned for the sins of all the people Israel lies in ruins!’ Then Rabbi Yohannan ben Zakkai spoke to him these words of comfort: ‘Be not grieved, my son. There is another way of gaining ritual atonement, even though the Temple is destroyed. We must now gain ritual atonement through deeds of loving-kindness.’’
Where does the teaching of incline after the majority come from?
The teaching that you should ‘incline after the majority’ is based on the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Metsia 59.b): ‘Thou has long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai, after the majority must one incline.’ In other words the Torah gives the rabbis the right to give the correct interpretation of scripture by a majority vote. So where does it say this in the Torah? The answer given in the Talmud is Exodus 23.2. ‘You shall not go after the majority to do evil, neither shall you testify in a matter of strife to incline after the majority to pervert justice.’ (Literal translation from Hebrew).
Why is the Torah insufficient?
According to rabbinic Judaism the Oral Law is necessary in order to understand the Written Law. Therefore the Torah on its own is insufficient to guide us. Actually there is a truth that the Torah needs another book to be added to it. On its own there are issues in the Torah which cannot be resolved.
What book did Moses give to the Jewish people?
According to Rashi ( Exodus 24:4), before Moses went up that mountain, he presented the Jewish people with an official version of the Book of Genesis, as well as part of Exodus —up to the event at which he was standing.
What were the traditions of Moses?
Before Moses, there were traditions. There were rituals, there were stories, there were ideas. There were writings, as well. 1 When did people start writing phonetically? I don't know. There is no way to tell. And some etchings that have managed to endure on the walls of caves in the Sinai are not going to put together a whole history for me. 2 But the stories of the patriarchs are obviously very ancient and attest to the linear thinking of a phonetically literate mind. 3 Most likely, Moses had a few scrolls in his possession from more ancient times.
Why did Nachmanides write in third person?
Because, as Nachmanides explains, Moses saw the raw essence as it is, stripped of the filter of his own ego. Other prophets heard the truth as it spoke to them. Moses saw truth as truth knows itself.
When did the modern world begin to think of the human being?
It's quite apparent from these works of scholarly historiography and many others that our modern concept of the place of the human being in society grew mainly out of a reading of the Hebrew Bible in the 17th century.
Where did the phonetic alphabet originate?
The evidence points to the phonetic alphabet originating in the Sinai and Canaan. The best I have seen on this is Samuel Kurinsky's "The Eighth Day" (Aronson), Chapter 12: Semitic Origins of Literacy. It is a simple matter to demonstrate where phonetic ("acrophonic") writing developed, but how early is another matter.
Is the story you got in Hebrew school true?
The story you got in Hebrew school is basically true, but it's also missing lots of the details. So it ends up coming across as a simplistic Hebrew-School story that only the most gullible believer would swallow. Let's take a closer look at the classical sources ( Midrash, Talmud, et al) that describe how Torah got to us.
How did the Rabbis force the oral law?
Some of you are probably laughing and wondering: How could so many people have fallen for this? But you must remember that the Bible wasn’t available to the common people back then, who couldn’t exactly read or write on their own, but were subject to the interpretation of the rabbinic authority. Another method by which the rabbis tried to force the idea of the Oral Law on the people was by taking a single word in Leviticus 26:46 out of its context:
What is the Torah called when God stops revealing Himself to the people of Israel?
From that moment on, the rabbis’ judgment and rulings are the new Torah, which they call the “Oral Law”.
What does it mean to be a Torah observant?
This has all ceased to exist since the destruction of the Temple, 2000 years ago. Today, the expression “Torah observant”, represents people who follow rabbinic rules. There is almost no connection to Moses and his original commandments anymore.
What did the people of Israel need to become a true nation?
The people of Israel had just left Egypt and become a true nation. And just like with any new country, there is a need for law enforcement, such as police officers and judges, to create order and protect the population, apprehend criminals and prosecute the accused. Things that Israel had yet to have at the time.
Who developed the Halacha?
The rabbinic Halacha that developed granted the rabbis authority and control over every religious and social aspect in the nation of Israel, under the claim that this tradition wasn’t invented by them, but passed down to them by word of mouth all the way from Moses on Mount Sinai.
When did God stop giving approval to the Yom Kippur sacrifice?
As of the year 30 AD, God stopped giving His approval on Yom Kippur. The scarlet thread no longer turned white. God was no longer willing to accept the Yom Kippur sacrifice. As of the year 30 AD, God stopped dwelling in the Temple, which, 40 years later, was also destroyed.
Who said the Torah is not in heaven?
Meaning, God called out from the sky, saying that Rabbi Eliezer was right. Then, Rabbi Yehoshua stood and made one of the most significant claims in the Talmud and in the Jewish world: “The Torah is not in heaven!”. God no longer holds the reins. Now, the mandate belongs to the rabbis alone.
