Oral Torah

According to Rabbinic Judaism , the oral Torah , oral Law , or oral tradition ( Name 1 ) was given by God orally to Moses in conjunction with the written Torah ( Name 1 ), after which it was passed down orally through the ages. Later to be codified and written in the Talmud . The form of Judaism which does not recognize an Oral Torah as authoritative, instead relying on the most natural meaning of the Written Torah to form the basis of Jewish law, is known as Karaite Judaism . While other cultures and Jewish groups maintained oral traditions, only the Rabbis gave ideological significance to the fact that they transmitted their tradition orally. According to Rabbinic tradition, Moses and the Israelites received an oral as well as the written Torah ("teaching") from God at Mount Sinai . The books of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible ) were relayed with an accompanying oral tradition passed on by each generation. Jewish law and tradition thus is not based on a strictly literal reading of the Tanakh , but on combined oral and written traditions. Rabbis of the Talmudic era conceived of the Oral Law in two distinct ways. First, Rabbinic tradition conceived of the Oral law as an unbroken chain of transmission. The distinctive feature of this view was that Oral Law was "conveyed by word of mouth and memorized." Second, the Rabbis also conceived of the Oral law as an interpretive tradition, and not merely as memorized traditions. In this view, the written Torah was seen as containing many levels of interpretation. It was left to later generations, who were steeped in the oral tradition of interpretation to discover those ("hidden") interpretations not revealed by Moses. The "oral law" was ultimately recorded in the Mishnah , the Talmud and Midrash . The Orality of Rabbinic Writing , in The Cambridge Companion to the Talmud, ed. The Orality of Rabbinic Writing , in The Cambridge Companion to the Talmud, ed. This is attested to in numerous sources, such as Mishna Avot 1:1. The manner of teaching and memorization is described in B. In Rabbinic literature this view is exemplified by the story of Rabbi Akiva who expounded heaps and heaps of laws from the scriptural crowns of the letters in the written Torah. The Talmud relays that Moses himself would not understand these interpretations, nevertheless, these are also called Mosaic traditions (Halakha leMoshe miSinai).

"Torah that is written"), but nonetheless are regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and co-given. This holistic Jewish code of conduct encompass a wide swath of ritual, worship, God-man and interpersonal relationships, from dietary laws to Sabbath and festival observance to marital relations, agricultural practices, and civil claims and damages. According to Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat. The major repositories of the Oral Torah are the Mishnah , compiled between 200–220 CE by Rabbi Yehudah haNasi , and the Gemara , a series of running commentaries and debates concerning the Mishnah, which together are the Talmud , the preeminent text of Rabbinic Judaism. In fact, two "versions" of the Talmud exist: one produced in Jerusalem c. 300-350 CE (the Jerusalem Talmud ), and second, more extensive Talmud compiled in Babylonia and published c. 450-500 CE (the Babylonian Talmud ). Belief that the Oral Torah was transmitted orally from God to Moses on Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt is a fundamental tenet of faith of Orthodox Judaism , and was recognized as one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith by Maimonides . However, not all branches of Rabbinic Judaism accept the divine provenance of the Oral Torah, such that Conservative and (to a greater extent) Reform Jews give deference to the Talmudic sages while empowering themselves to formulate and adopt their own rulings and interpretations. There have also been historical dissenters to the Oral Torah in its entirety, including adherents to Karaite Judaism , who attempt to derive their religious practice strictly from the Written Torah, using Scripture's most natural meaning to form their basis of Jewish law. Howard Schwartz, Tree of souls: the mythology of Judaism , Oxford University Press, 2004. p lv

Laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Written Torah According to Rabbinic Judaism , the Oral Torah or Oral Law ( Name 1 , lit. "Torah that is on the mouth") represents those laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the " Written Torah " ( Name 1 , lit. "Torah that is in writing"), but nonetheless are regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and co-given. This holistic Jewish code of conduct encompasses a wide swathe of rituals, worship practices, God–man and interpersonal relationships, from dietary laws to Sabbath and festival observance to marital relations, agricultural practices, and civil claims and damages. According to Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat, by virtue of the dispersion of the Jewish people. The major repositories of the Oral Torah are the Mishnah , compiled between 200–220 CE by Rabbi Yehudah haNasi , and the Gemara , a series of running commentaries and debates concerning the Mishnah, which together form the Talmud , the preeminent text of Rabbinic Judaism. In fact, two "versions" of the Talmud exist: one produced in the Galilee c. 300–350 CE (the Jerusalem Talmud ), and a second, more extensive Talmud compiled in Babylonia c. 450–500 CE (the Babylonian Talmud ). Belief that at least portions of the Oral Torah were transmitted orally from God to Moses on Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt is a fundamental tenet of faith of Orthodox Judaism , and was recognized as one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith by Maimonides . However, not all branches of Rabbinic Judaism accept the literal Sinaitic provenance of the Oral Torah, characterizing it as the product of a historical process of continuing interpretation. There have also been historical dissenters to the Oral Torah in its entirety, including the ancient Sadducees and adherents to modern Karaite Judaism , who attempt to derive their religious practice strictly from the Written Torah, using Scripture's most natural meaning to form their basis of Jewish law. Karaites often look to traditions of interpretation but, unlike Rabbinic Jews, do not ascribe to those traditions authoritative or normative parity with the Written Torah.

Laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Written Torah According to Rabbinic Judaism , the Oral Torah or Oral Law ( ) are statutes and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah ( ), and which are regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and given at the same time. This holistic Jewish code of conduct encompasses a wide swathe of rituals, worship practices, God–man and interpersonal relationships, from dietary laws to Sabbath and festival observance to marital relations, agricultural practices, and civil claims and damages. According to Rabbinic Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat, by virtue of the dispersion of the Jewish people. The major repositories of the Oral Torah are the Mishnah , compiled between 200–220 CE by Judah ha-Nasi , and the Gemara , a series of running commentaries and debates concerning the Mishnah, which together form the Talmud , the preeminent text of Rabbinic Judaism. In fact, two "versions" of the Talmud exist: one produced in the Galilee c. 300–350 CE (the Jerusalem Talmud ), and a second, more extensive Talmud compiled in Jewish Babylonia c. 450–500 CE (the Babylonian Talmud ). Belief that at least portions of the Oral Torah were transmitted orally from God to Moses on Biblical Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt is a fundamental tenet of faith of Orthodox Judaism , and was recognized as one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith by Maimonides . However, not all new branches of Rabbinic inspired ideologies accept the literal Sinaitic provenance of the Oral Torah, characterizing it instead as the product of a historical process of continuing interpretation. There have also been historical dissenters to the Oral Torah in its entirety, including the ancient Sadducees , Essenes , and adherents to modern Karaite Judaism , who derive their religious practice strictly from the Written Torah, using Scripture's most natural meaning to form their basis of Jewish law. Karaites often look to traditions of interpretation but, unlike Rabbinic Jews, do not ascribe to those traditions authoritative or normative parity with the Written Torah. The Beta Israel , who traditionally adhere to a form of Judaism referred to as Haymanot , also reject the idea of an Oral Torah. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism . Traditionally, the Beta Israel were monotheistic and practiced a Torah-based Judaism, without observing Oral Law, or knowing the Talmud, known to other communities of Jews. In terms of their religious beliefs, the Beta Israel have always identified themselves as exiles from the land of Israel and believers of the faith of Moses. They never learned of the Talmud, the codification of Jewish oral law, or any of the traditions that arose after biblical times, such as the holiday of Hanukkah.

Practices not in the Written Torah According to Rabbinic Judaism , the Oral Torah or Oral Law ( Hebrew : תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה ‎ , romanized : Tōrā šebbəʿal-pe ) are statutes and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah ( תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב ‎ , Tōrā šebbīḵṯāv , ' "Written Law" ' ), and which are regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and given at the same time. This holistic Jewish code of conduct encompasses a wide swathe of rituals, worship practices, God–man and interpersonal relationships, from dietary laws to Sabbath and festival observance to marital relations, agricultural practices, and civil claims and damages. According to Rabbinic Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat, by virtue of the dispersion of the Jewish people. The major repositories of the Oral Torah are the Mishnah , compiled between 200–220 CE by Judah ha-Nasi , and the Gemara , a series of running commentaries and debates concerning the Mishnah, which together form the Talmud , the preeminent text of Rabbinic Judaism. In fact, two "versions" of the Talmud exist: one produced in the Galilee c. 300–350 CE (the Jerusalem Talmud ), and a second, more extensive Talmud compiled in Jewish Babylonia c. 450–500 CE (the Babylonian Talmud ). Belief that at least portions of the Oral Torah were transmitted orally from God to Moses on Biblical Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt is a fundamental tenet of faith of Orthodox Judaism , and was recognized as one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith by Maimonides . There have also been historical dissenters to the Oral Torah, most notably the Sadducees and Karaites , who claimed to derive their religious practice only from the Written Torah. The Beta Israel , isolated from the rest of world Jewry for many centuries, also lacked Rabbinic texts until they made Aliyah en masse in recent years. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism . Traditionally, the Beta Israel were monotheistic and practiced a Torah-based Judaism, without observing Oral Law, or knowing the Talmud, known to other communities of Jews. In terms of their religious beliefs, the Beta Israel have always identified themselves as exiles from the land of Israel and believers of the faith of Moses. They never learned of the Talmud, the codification of Jewish oral law, or any of the traditions that arose after biblical times, such as the holiday of Hanukkah.