The Written and Oral Torah

1. The Written and Oral Torah Prepared by Matt Pham & Felix Just, SJ for SCTR 19 – “Religions of the Book”

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. Rabbinic Era Maps

10. Sample Pageof the Talmud Text of the Mishnahis in the center; Various commentaries, called Gemara, are around it.

11. 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

12. More Talmud Images For a closer look go to: http://www.ort.org/ort/edu/rolnik/halacha/halacha.htm

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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