Notes on Torah, Mishnah, Talmud.
- Holiness (Lev. 20: 26) =
- Monotheism = Dt. 6: 4.
* Torah = identity/badge (doorposts = mezuzah, forehead = tefillin) = talith. separation from profanity = 613 mitzvot = Jew's peculiar responsibility.
- TORAH offered to 70 nations. Pre - existed. Given COMPLETE to Moses circa 1200 BCE From "yarah" (insider view)
- Documentary hypothesis: Complied over time by multiple authors/editors.
Yahwist (focus on Kingdom of Israel) 950 BCE
Elohist (focus on Kingdom of Judah) 850 BCE
Priestly (focus on lists, genealogy) 500 BCE Babylon
Deuteronomist (focus on the law) 600 BCE (possibly reign of King Josiah).
Books
Bereshit (Genesis)
Shemot (Exodus)
Vayikra (Leviticus)
Bamidbar(Numbers)
Devarim(Deuteronomy)
Chumash/Pentateuch/Tanakh (Torah [5], Neviim [8], Ketuvim [11]; law, prophets, writings).
Sepher Torah/mappah (fastener), me'il (binder) tas (plate) keter (crown).
A sefer Torah (plural: Sifrei Torah) is a copy of the formal Hebrew hand-written on gevil or qlaf (forms of parchment) by using a quill (or other permitted writing utensil) dipped in ink. Producing a sefer Torah fulfills one of the 613 mitzvot (Judaism’s commandments)
Scripture:
Exodus 28 (high priestly dress)
Canon:
* 24 books fixed by 200 BCE. Not a burden but a joy: the theme of my song (Psalm 119: 54).
Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books are in Italics
Jewish / Catholic/Orthodox / ProtestantTorah / Pentateuch / Pentateuch
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy / Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy / Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Prophets (Former) / Historical Books / Historical Books
Joshua
Judges
1-2 Samuel (1-2 Kings)
1-2 Kings (3-4 Kings) / Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1-2 Kings (1-2 Samuel)
3-4 Kings (1-2 Kings)
1-2 Chronicles
Ezra (1 Esdras)
Nehemiah (2 Esdras)
Tobit
Judith
Esther*
adds: Additions to Esther
1-2 Maccabees / Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1-2 Samuel (1-2 Kings)
1-2 Kings (3-4 Kings)
1-2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Prophets (Latter)
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Book of the Twelve
The Writings / Wisdom Books / Poetic Books
Psalms
Proverbs
Job
Song of Songs
Ruth
Lamentations
Ecclesiastes
Esther
Daniel
Ezra and Nehemiah
1-2 Chronicles / Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom of Solomon
Ecclesiasticus / Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Prophets / Prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Ezekiel
Daniel*
adds: Song of the Three Hebrew Children,
Bel and the Dragon,
Susanna
The Twelve / Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
The Twelve
Septuagint – Greek translation. 3rd to 1st century BCE (Alexandria)
Targum –Aramaic.
Oral Law = Mishnah (200 CE)
- Zeraim ("Seeds"), dealing with prayer and blessings, tithes and agricultural laws (11 tractates)
- Moed ("Festival"), pertaining to the laws of the Sabbath and the Festivals (12 tractates)
- Nashim ("Women"), concerning marriage and divorce, some forms of oaths and the laws of the nazirite (7 tractates)
- Nezikin ("Damages"), dealing with civil and criminal law, the functioning of the courts and oaths (10 tractates)
- Kodashim ("Holy things"), regarding sacrificial rites, the Temple, and the dietary laws (11 tractates) and
- Tohorot ("Purities"), pertaining to the laws of purity and impurity, including the impurity of the dead, the laws of ritual purity for the priests (Kohanim), the laws of "family purity" (the menstrual laws) and others (12 tractates).
Midrash: to investigate" or "study"
Hallakah = Law
Aggadah - a compendium of rabbinic homilies that incorporates folklore, historical anecdotes, moral exhortations, and practical advice in various spheres, from business to medicine.
Talmud – Mishnah plus Gemara
(400/500 Jerusalem/Babylon)
The Jerusalem Talmud was redacted in the year 350 C.E. by Rav Muna and Rav Yossi in Israel.
The Babylonian Talmud was redacted in the year 500 C.E. by Ravina and Rav Ashi, two leaders of the Babylonian Jewish community. The language of the Talmud is Aramaic, in Hebrew script.
SEA OF THE TALMUD.
Content: fleshes out in much more detail many Biblical narratives.
Eg.
The Trade of Your Ancestors
The young Eleazar, son of the great Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, was determined to make his own way in the world. He would not learn Torah and be a Rabbi and teacher. He would make a career in the Roman government, which his father hated. At one point, the Romans put Eleazar in charge of animals and laborers who could be rented for trucking and transportation.
Elijah, ever remembered for the good, disguised as an old man came to him one time and said to him: “Get a beast of burden ready for me.” Eleazar asked: “And what do you have to load on the animal?” Elijah said: “I have this worn out water skin, my cloak, and myself, as rider.” Eleazar said to himself: “Take a look at this old man whom I can pick up and carry to the end of the world; and he says to me, ‘Get a beast of burden ready for
me’?” So what did Eleazar do? He put Elijah on his back, took him up mountainsides, and brought him down into valleys, across fields of thorns and fields of thistles.
Along the way, Elijah began to bear down upon him, making himself heavier and heavier. Eleazar said: “Old man, old man! Lighten yourself. If not, I shall throw you off.” Elijah asked: “Would you like to take a few
breaths?” He replied: “Yes.” So, what did Eleazar do? He took Elijah to a field where he set him down under a tree and gave him something to eat and drink. After Elijah ate and drank, he asked Eleazar: “What will allthis wandering around get you? Would it not be better for you to settle down and take up the trade of your ancestors?” Eleazar asked: “Can you teach me their occupation?” Elijah replied: “Yes.” There are those who say that Elijah, ever remembered for the good, taught him for thirteen years until he knew all of Sifra, the ancient teachings on the book of Leviticus; once he was able to carry all of the Sifra he could not even carry his own cloak. (Pesikta d’Rav Kahanna 11:22)
Moses Slow of Speech. The account given in the Talmud (vi.) is as follows:—Pharaoh was one day sitting on his throne with Moses on his lap, when the child took off the king’s crown and put it on his own head. The “wise men” tried to persuade the king that this was treason, for which the child ought to be put to death; but Jethro, priest of Midian, replied, “It is the act of a child who knows no better. Let two plates” (he continued) “be set before him, one containing gold and the other red-hot coals, and you will readily see he will prefer the latter to the former.” The experiment being tried, the little boy snatched up the live coal, put it into his mouth, and burnt his tongue so severely that he was ever after “heavy or slow of speech.”
Abraham at the “sacrifice.” We only hear G-d’s side of the story!
As one Jewish author puts it: 'The Torah is G-d speaking to us. The Talmud is us answering!'
Notes prepared by Clinton Bennett