1. The Hebrew Bible
Notes

2. The Hebrew Bible is broken up into three parts:
Torah
Definition: Teaching
What it includes:
The Pentateuch—the first five books of the bible
Nevi’im
Definition: Prophets
The religious history of Israel from arrival in the promised land to the rise and fall of King David and his descendants
Ketuvim
Definition: Writings
Various themes and literary forms

3. Plain Sense Inquiry Allegorical Mystical
The Jewish reading strategies employed when reading and/or interpreting the Hebrew bible:
Plain Sense
Definition: Looks to the surface, though not necessarily literal—looks at context, diction, syntax, etc. as well.
Inquiry
Definition: Looks for layers of meaning—interpretive.
Allegorical
Definition: Looks for parallels between the scriptural text and more abstract concepts—ideas, events, people which stand for other truths.
Mystical
Definition: Looks at the biblical text as a symbolic code, which in combination with humility and wisdom will yield a personal relationship with the divine.