Jewish Texts

Judaism is an ancient religious tradition that holds that God created the world and formed a special covenant with the Jewish people.[1] The doctrine of the faith is preserved in a vast array of sacred texts, the most prominent of which are the Torah and the Talmud.[2]

The Torah, or the Pentateuch, consists of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The book, which was originally and is traditionally written in Hebrew, serves as the foundation of Jewish belief and is held to have been revealed to Moses by God. [3] It lists the multitude of laws and commandments that the Jewish faith is dedicated to upholding, a description of the creation of the world, and an account of the beginning of Jewish history.[4] "It is the primary guide to the relationship between God and man, and the whole meaning and purpose of that relationship, a living document that unfolds over generations and millennia."[5]

The Talmud is a "record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history."[6] A prominent expert on Judaism states that "It is rabbinic literature [such as the Talmud] and the institutions it creates that provided the frame for Jewish culture as we know it, rather than the biblical literature of the Hebrew Bible in and by itself."[7] It is through writings in the Talmud that Judaism derives many of its customs, practices, and beleifs.[8]

[1] "Judaism". Wikipedia. . (Accessed April 5, 2007)

[2] Ibid.

[3] "Torah". Wikipedia. . (Accessed April 5, 2007)

[4] "Judaism"

[5] Ibid.

[6] "Talmud." Wikipedia. . (Accessed April 5, 2007)

[7] Fonrobert, Charlotte Elisheva. "To Increase Torah is to Increase Life". The Meaning of Life in the World Religions. Ed. Joseph Runzo and Nancy Martin. Oneworld Publications: New York, 2000. pg. 71

[8] "Talmud".