Laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Written Torah
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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.[1]
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.[2][3]
^Schwartz, H.; Loebel-Fried, C. (2006). Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-19-532713-7.
^Ehrlich, Mark Avrum (2009). Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture, Volume 2. ABC-CLIO. p. 473. 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.
^Appiah, Anthony; Gates, Henry Louis Jr. (2005). Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience. Oxford University Press. p. 565. 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. For almost 2,000 years, however, they were completely isolated from the rest of the Jewish world. 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.
According to Rabbinic Judaism, the OralTorah or Oral Law (Hebrew: תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, romanized: Tōrā šebbəʿal-pe) are statutes and legal interpretations...
literature, the word Torah denotes both the five books (תורה שבכתב "Torah that is written") and the OralTorah (תורה שבעל פה, "Torah that is spoken")....
Written Torah (Torah she-be-Khetav) and the OralTorah (Torah she-be-al Peh) from God. The OralTorah, transmitted orally, explains the Written Torah. At...
Written Torah and rejecting Prophets, Writings, and doctrines such as the OralTorah and the resurrection of the dead. Josephus (c. 37 – c. 100 CE), believed...
scripture, the supplemental OralTorah is represented by later texts, such as the Midrash and the Talmud. The Hebrew-language word torah can mean "teaching",...
of the Written and OralTorah. In Rabbinic Judaism, the Torah consists of both the written Torah (Pentateuch) and a tradition of oral law, much of it later...
collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and OralTorah. Halakha is based on biblical commandments (mitzvot), subsequent Talmudic...
is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the OralTorah. It is also the first major work of rabbinic literature...
"Written Instruction" (Torah she-bi-khtav תורה שבכתב) comprises the Torah and the rest of the Tanakh; the "Oral Instruction" (Torah she-be'al peh תורה שבעל...
The Torah (lit. 'teaching'), both written and oral, tells the story of this covenant, and provides Jews with the terms of the covenant. The OralTorah is...
components: the Mishnah (משנה, c. 200 CE), a written compendium of the OralTorah; and the Gemara (גמרא, c. 500 CE), an elucidation of the Mishnah and related...
often ask where in the Torah the Mishnah derives a particular law. See Talmudic hermeneutics and OralTorah #The interplay of the Oral and Written Law. Daf...
in the written Torah without any additional Oral Law or explanation. Unlike mainstream Rabbinic Judaism, which regards the OralTorah, codified in the...
hostile. The Sadducees rejected the OralTorah as proposed by the Pharisees. Rather, they saw the Written Torah as the sole source of divine authority...
Israel Land of Israel Tanakh Torah Chumash–a Torah in printed form Nevi'im Ketuvim OralTorah Talmud (as encompassing the main Oral Law) Jerusalem Talmud Babylonian...
The Mishnah consists of six divisions known as Sedarim or Orders. The Babylonian Talmud has Gemara — rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah...
Aggadah is part of Judaism's OralTorah, the traditions providing the authoritative interpretation of the Written Torah. In this context, the widely-held...
the text of the Tanakh to the entire OralTorah. Some examples of traditional religious teachings: The study of Torah is "equal to all" of the mitzvot of...
for books of the Tanakh, the OralTorah (Mishnah and Talmud) or any work of rabbinic literature. Works unrelated to Torah study are rarely called sefer...
congregations on the issue of the Talmud and the OralTorah. There are congregations which believe that adherence to the Oral Law, as encompassed by the Talmud, is...
Originally, Kabbalistic knowledge was believed to be an integral part of the OralTorah, given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai around the 13th century BCE according...
between your eyes" is not obvious. These details are delineated in the OralTorah. At least as early as the 1st century CE, many Jews understood the verses...
Mishnah, the central compilation of the OralTorah in Rabbinic Judaism, the oral component of the Written Torah, contains a tractate on the red heifer...
works contain early interpretations and commentaries on the Written Torah and OralTorah (spoken law and sermons), as well as non-legalistic rabbinic literature...
even government buildings. Halakha (Jewish law from the Mishnah – the "OralTorah") states that communal Jewish worship can be carried out wherever a minyan...
derived from the Torah's books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Their details and practical application, however, are set down in the OralTorah (eventually codified...
came to Shammai and asked how many Torahs there were. Shammai answered "two": the written Torah and the OralTorah. The gentile did not believe him and...
God. The term primarily refers to the Torah or the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The Law of Moses or Torah of Moses (Hebrew: תֹּורַת מֹשֶׁה, Torat...