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 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 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 2 nd 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 5 th 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 6 th 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 Page of the Talmud Text of the Mishnah is 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:

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