The Written and Oral Torah

Prepared by Matt Pham & Felix Just, SJ

for SCTR 19 – “Religions of the Book”

Meaning of “Torah”

Hebrew word “Torah” is not really “Law”– Better translated “teachings & instructions”

Limited sense: – First section of the Tanak: Five Books of Moses

Broader sense:– Entire Tanak: 24 books of the Hebrew Bible

Broadest sense:– Whole body of Jewish laws, teachings, and traditions

Introduction / Origin

“Rabbi” = Teacher– Main leaders of Judaism in post-70 CE Era– Successors of the Pharisees of pre-70 Era

Traditions of “Rabbinic” Judaism:– Moses received both Written Torah

and Oral Torah from God at Mt. Sinai (ca. 1250 BCE) Much more than just two tablets with “Ten Commandments”

– Neither is more important than the other Oral Torah did not come from or after Written Torah Written Torah needed to be accompanied by Oral Torah Words (of the Written) + Meanings (of the Oral)

Written Torah

Tanakh / Hebrew Bible / Mikra– Writing/editing process lasted 1000+ years– HB canon limited to 24 books, ca. 90 CE

Three Sections:– Torah = 5 Books of Moses (a.k.a. Pentateuch)– Nevi’im = Prophets (4 Former & 4 Latter Prophets)– Khetuvim = Writings (11 Poetic & Wisdom Books)

Oral Torah (acc. to Rabbinic Judaism)

God gave it to Moses at Mt. Sinai– Thus of divine origin, just like the written Torah

Passed down orally till 2nd century CE– Finally written down in Mishnah and later Talmuds

Why was “Oral” Torah eventually written down?– Destruction of the Second Temple/Jerusalem– Jewish learning threatened by wartime deaths– Traditions better preserved if written– Rise and importance of Rabbinic Judaism

Mishnah

Earliest written compilation of Oral Torah– “Mishnah” = “teaching” or “repetition”– Compiled 200 CE by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (“Judah the Prince”)– Oldest text of Rabbinic Judaism, recording their traditions

Legal opinions & debates about life without the Temple– How to live/apply/adapt the mitzvot (God’s commandments)

Six Sections or “Orders”:– Seeds agricultural laws and prayers– Appointed Times laws of the Sabbath and Festivals– Women marriage and divorce– Damages civil and criminal law– Holy Things sacrificial rites, the Temple, dietary laws– Purities purity and impurity rules (unclean things)

Gemara and Talmud

Gemara = additional commentary on the Mishnah– “Gemara” = “learning” or “completion”

Mishnah + Gemara = Talmud– Mishnah = core of the Oral Torah– Gemara = further discussion of ideas in the Mishnah

Talmud = explanation, interpretation, application– Jewish law, ethics, customs, history

Two versions of the Talmud:– Two centers of Rabbinic scholarship: Palestine & Babylonia– So: Jerusalem Talmud & Babylonian Talmud

Two Talmuds

Jerusalem Talmud:– Compiled in 5th Century CE (incomplete; lacks continuity)– Written in Western Aramaic more difficult to read– Focuses on concerns pertinent to Land of Israel

Babylonian Talmud:– Completed in 6th Century CE (100+ more years of discussion)– Written in Eastern Aramaic more precise expressions– Used by Jews living elsewhere throughout the ancient world

Today, “Talmud” usually refers to the Babylonian one– Decreased size & influence of Jewish community in Israel,

Increased influence & use of Babylonian Talmud

Rabbinic Era Maps

Sample Pageof the Talmud

Text of the Mishnahis in the center;

Various commentaries, called Gemara, are around it.

Groups of Rabbinic Scholars

Tannaim (“repeaters”) – recorded Oral Torah in the Mishnah Amoraim (“sayers”) – discussed opinions, decided conflicts,

harmonized contradictions, applied laws to new circumstances Seboraim (“reasoners”) – asked “why” and “what is the

underlying concept” about their predecessors’ opinions– Discussion of Amoraim and Seboraim appear in the Gemara

Stammaim (“anonymous men”) – edited final text of Talmud– Compilers & final editors did not sign their names– Thought they were just faithfully passing on teachings of the

“named ones” of previous generations

More Talmud Images

For a closer look go to:

http://www.ort.org/ort/edu/rolnik/halacha/halacha.htm

Midrash

Exegesis = interpretation of biblical texts– Analyzing the narratives of the HB to derive laws,

principles, or moral lessons for Jewish life Four Ways of Understanding HB texts:

– Simple meaning; hints/clues; interpretation; “secret”– Midrash focuses on hints/clues and interpretations

Two Types of Subject Matter:– Halakhic (legal, how to “walk/conduct” one’s life well)– Aggadic (non-legal, mainly homiletic / inspirational)

Other Rabbinic Literature

Books of the Tannaitic Rabbinic Era:– Mekilta on Genesis– Sifra on Leviticus – Sifre on Numbers and Deuteronomy

Tosefta = another compilation of oral traditions– “supplement” to the Mishnah

Targumim = Aramaic translations of HB books– often reflects interpretations of later rabbis

Recap (main points to know)

Oral Torah – passed down orally through many generations along with the Written Torah– Belief of Rabbinic Judaism (from after 70 CE to today)

Two main categories: narrative and legal– Midrash deals with biblical stories

Interpretation of HB narratives– Mishnah & Talmuds deal with legal materials

Application of the mitzvot/commandments

Focus of Rabbinic Literature:– More on Mishnah and Talmuds, less on Midrash