Judaism Step-by-step

Torah - Tenakh and Talmud

Tenakh -- Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets); Ketuvim (Writings)
Talmud (learning, commentary on the Torah)

The Hallah, eaten on Shabbat, has three plaits: God, Israel (the Jewish people) and the Torah. The special relationship between God and the Jews is held together by the rules that the Jews follow. A sign of becoming a man in Judaism is the responsibilty of learning Hebrew and reading aloud from the Torah. Without the Torah there would be no festivals, food laws, daily prayers, worship - the Torah directs Jews in their spiritual life as well as in moral issues.

'Torah' means law, and refers to the entire collection of Jewish teaching. Rather confusingly, it is also specifically the first five books of the Old Testament (Jews call this the TeNaKh because of the three types of book it contains). There were two Torah's - the Written Torah, dating back to Moses, and the Oral Torah, which also dates back to Moses but wasn't written down until 200 CE. Basically, the rules were given to Moses, but since then Jews have been studying them and interpreting them to help them understand how to live in a changing world.

Unlike the Christian Bible, the scrolls on which the Torah are written are themselves incredibly sacred. If you drop a Torah, you fast for a day. Torah scrolls do not get thrown away when worn out - they are buried. In the synagogue they are placed at the very front and when taken up to the Bimah, Jewish men kiss the corner of their prayer shawls and raise them to the passing Torah as a sign of respect for the word of God.

To find out more:

The Revision Site's Scriptures
Judaism 101's Torah and Torah Readings
Schoolnet's Judaism - Holy books

To check whether you know your stuff, last year's question on the Torah [2000 Q4] covers all of the basics:

(a) Describe what is in the Torah and the Talmud, and explain the reasons why many Jews give these books respect. [8]

There is a lot you could write here, but it hasn't asked for the ways in which Jews show respect for the Torah - you may well be asked this, and should prepare an answer. As always, (b) deals with the effects on the daily life of a Jew. The following questions [1996 Q3 and 1998 Q4] demonstrate this:

(b) Explain the ways in which the teachings of the Torah might affect the daily life of a Jew. [7]

(b) How might a Jewish family follow the teachings of the Torah during the rest of the week? [7]

Finally, (c) will ask you to evaluate the issue - is the Torah really that important? Although the answer seems to be a definite and strong 'Yes!', the balance here is the recognition that the Torah is a means to an end - it helps Jews to maintain their covenant relationship with God. It is their relationship with God that is important, and the Torah is only so essential because it is God's instructions on how to be in such a relationship. Also, Reform Jews think that it is the underlying moral guidance of the Torah that is essential, and not the ritual laws. Have a look at the following [1998 Q4 and 2000 Q4]

(c) 'Judaism could not exist without the Torah.'

(c) 'The Jewish holy books are too old to have anything useful to say to modern people.'

Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]

Have a go at the questions above. Try to include ways in which Jews show respect for the Torah as well as the reasons for this.

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