What is the Jewish Torah? Let me explain without fanaticism what the Torah, Tanakh and Talmud are. Holy Scripture Torah as a reflection of the world
WRITTEN AND ORAL TORAH
On the sixth day of the month of Sivan in 2448 from the creation of the world (1512 BC), the Jews received the Torah.
The Torah consists of two parts: the Scriptures (Torah she-biktav) and Oral Teaching (Torah she-b "alpe). The first includes the Torah itself (Pentateuch), the Books of the Prophets and the Holy Scriptures - everything that is called the TANAKH.
The Pentateuch consists of the following books: Bereishit (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers) and Devarim (Deuteronomy). The entire Pentateuch has 54 chapters, 5845 verses, 79976 words and 304805 letters. The entire Pentateuch was written by Moses. RAMBAM, aka Maimonides, in his preface to the Mishnah (chapter 10) writes about the origin of the Torah and points out that the entire Torah, given to us through our teacher Moses, was written down by him from the mouth of G-d. Those who claim that Moses wrote some verses on his own behalf, the RAMBAM, on behalf of the prophets and Talmudic scholars, calls heretics.
The books of the prophets are usually divided into eight: Yehoshua bin Nun (Jehoshua Joshua), Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve. It should be noted that in total the Jews had forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses.
The Holy Scriptures contain eleven books: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth), Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicle (Divrei Hayamim). Therefore, there are a total of twenty-four books of Holy Scripture: the Pentateuch - five, the Books of the Prophets - eight and the Scriptures - eleven.
Who wrote the books of TANACH? Tradition says that Moses wrote the Pentateuch and the Book of Job; The book of Yehoshua was written by Yehoshua; the prophet Samuel wrote: Judges, Samuel, Rug; The Book of Psalms was written by King David and ten elders (Adam, forefather Abraham, Moses, etc.). The prophet Jeremiah wrote his book (Book of Jeremiah), Kings and Lamentations. King Hezekiah of Judah and his assistants wrote the books: Isaiah, Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth). Members of the Great Assembly (prophets Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and their friends) wrote the books: Ezekiel, Book of the Twelve, Daniel, Esther. Ezra wrote his book (the Book of Ezra) and most of the Book of Chronicles, and Nehemiah completed the Chronicle.
Mishna. It was indicated above that the Teaching of the Jewish people, the Torah, consists of two parts: Scripture (TANAKH) and Oral Teaching. The second part, as the name suggests, was transmitted orally for a long time (1500 years). Only in 3948 (188 AD) the great Tannai Rabbi Yehuda Anasi, together with other Talmudic scholars, completed editing and recording the basis of the Oral Teaching - six sections of the Mishnah: “Crops”, “Holidays”, “Women”, “Damages” , "Shrines" and "Purifications". The Mishnah is the basis of the later recorded Talmud; the Rabbi considered it necessary, contrary to tradition, to edit and write down the Oral Teaching. He was guided by the consideration that the number of people professionally engaged in the study of the Torah and capable of remembering everything and passing it on to their students was decreasing over the years and there was a danger that “the Torah would be forgotten in Israel.”
The Mishnah is divided into 61 tractates containing 524 chapters. She comments on Scripture and explains the details of the commandments. She comments and summarizes the sayings of sages who have studied Torah for dozens of generations. This Teaching was accepted by the subsequent generation from the previous one, starting from Moses himself. Many commentaries have been compiled on all six sections of the Mishnah, providing the necessary explanations.
The disciples of Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yehuda Anasi and other tannaim edited and wrote down the following parts of the Oral Teaching: Brighta, Tosefta, Mekhilta, Sifra, Sifr.
Midrash Rabbah and Midrash Tanchuma were written in the era of the Amoraim and are commentaries on the Torah Shebiktav.
The Zohar was written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This book is a fundamental work on Kabbalah.
The Talmud (Gemara) is a fundamental work commenting on the treatises of the Mishnah, the books of Tannaim and the 613 commandments of the Torah.
There is the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud. The latter was recorded by Rabbi Yochanan, a student of Rabbi Yehuda Anasi. The compilation of the Babylonian Talmud began immediately after the completion of the Mishnah and continued for about 300 years. It was written down by Rabbi Ashi and his disciples about 1,500 years ago.
After the completion of the Talmud, the era of the Gaons began, which lasted about five hundred years.
The Gaons are those scholars who lived after the completion of the Gemara and in each generation were engaged in commenting on it and resolving controversial issues raised by life.
The Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi compiled an abbreviated Talmud, creating the basis for the works of Maimonides, ROSH, Baal Athurim, Rabbi Yosef Karo, RAMO and others.
The books of Shulchan Aruch are recognized as a set of laws for Jews around the world.
The Mosaic Pentateuch contains all 613 commandments.
The laws of the Torah exalt the Jewish people, elevating them above the laws of nature and human society.
All commandments are divided into two groups:
1. 248 prescribe specific actions and are called “Mitzvot Aseh.”
The Torah - the will and wisdom of the Almighty - is independent of time and space. The deep meaning contained in each of its commandments is relevant at any time and in any place. But the practical implementation of the commandments in most cases is associated with certain conditions and therefore is not always possible. So, at the present time, due to the fact that the Jewish people have not yet returned from exile and the Temple has not yet been restored, not all commandments are practically feasible.
ABOUT THE TALMUD
The famous rabbi and scientist A. Steinsaltz in his article “What is the Talmud” writes that if the Torah is the foundation of Judaism, then the Talmud is the central column on which its entire spiritual and philosophical arch rests. In a certain sense, the Talmud is the main book of Jewish culture, the backbone of national existence and creative activity of the people. No other book has had a comparable influence on the theory and practice of Jewish life. The Jews have always been aware that their preservation and development as a people depended on the study of the Talmud; Their enemies knew this no less than they did. That is why in the Middle Ages this book was defamed, cursed and burned so countless times, and that is why it was subjected to the same reproach in recent times.
Formally, the Talmud is a set of Oral Teachings, which was developed by many generations of sages of Palestine and Babylon from ancient times until the beginning of the Middle Ages. The Talmud consists of two parts: the Mishnah, or book of Halakha (Law), written in Hebrew, and a commentary on the Mishnah, known as the Talmud proper (or Gemara), consisting of discussions and explanations of the Mishnah, written mainly in Aramaic.
This definition of the Talmud, while formally correct, in fact, does not give a correct idea of it. The Talmud is not just a statement of laws and commentaries on them. The Talmud is a repository of thousands of years of Jewish wisdom, in which the Oral Teaching is expressed, as ancient and majestic as the Written Law embodied in the Torah. And the Oral Teaching is the interpenetrating unity of the Law, legends and philosophical reflections, a fusion of unique logic with sophisticated pragmatism, history with science, parables with anecdotes. Therefore, the Talmud is a complete paradox: its form is orderly and logical, every word of it was carefully verified during the centuries-long work of the compilers, which continued many centuries after this body of treatises had already been basically formed - and at the same time everything in it based on the free play of associations, on the pairing of distant concepts, which is reminiscent of the modern literary genre of “stream of consciousness.” The Talmud is subordinated to the purpose of interpreting laws - and at the same time it is a unique work of art, far beyond the scope of pure jurisprudence and its practical applications. The Talmud remains to this day the basis of Jewish law, but at the same time it cannot be invoked as the decisive authority in practical matters.
The Talmud treats abstract and sometimes completely scholastic problems with the same seriousness as the most prosaic issues of everyday life - and at the same time it manages to do without any specific terminology. Being based on tradition and authority passed down from generation to generation, it is at the same time unparalleled in the persistence with which it questions and revises all established and generally accepted points of view, getting to the root of any statement without taking it for granted. In terms of the rigor of its discussion and the accuracy of its proofs, the Talmud approaches mathematics, but dispenses with mathematical symbolism and equations.
To better understand this unique creation, let us think for a moment about the goals of its authors and compilers. What were they striving for, these thousands of sages, whose entire lives were spent in Talmudic discussions that continued for centuries in hundreds of large and small yeshivas (academies)? The answer lies in the very name of their work: Talmud means study, knowledge. The Talmud is, therefore, the embodiment of the great concept of mitzvat talmud Torah - a religious commandment obliging the study of the Torah, which in itself contains both its goal and reward.
The Talmudic sage said: “Look through it (the Torah) again and again, for everything is contained in it. Look at it, and grow old in it, and never be separated from it, for there is no greater virtue in the world.”
Studying the Torah undoubtedly serves many practical needs, but the main purpose of studying it is not the search for everyday clues. This study is not dictated by the degree of importance or practical significance of the problem under discussion. The purpose of learning is the learning itself. This does not mean that the practical application of the issues being studied is unimportant for the Talmud.
On the contrary, it strongly emphasizes that for someone who studies the Torah but does not follow it, it would have been better for him not to have been born at all. A true Talmudist must also serve as an example in behavior. But this is only one side of the main Talmudic installation, which states: one who is immersed in the text should not pursue any other goal than studying it. Therefore, any question related to the Torah or life according to the Torah is worthy of reflection and analysis, and in any question one should strive to its core, to the very essence. When studying Torah, one should not ask about the practical benefits that this study can bring. That is why in the Talmud one can find passionate and lengthy debates on issues that concern the most abstract features of the Talmudic method and the conclusions obtained with its help.
The sages spared no effort even when they knew that this source had been rejected and had no significance for legal practice. We also find in the Talmud discussions on issues that were significant only in the distant past and can hardly ever arise again.
It happened, of course, that problems that once seemed far from practice later acquired urgent significance. Abstract sciences know such a phenomenon. But for a Talmudist this is not so important, because for him from the very beginning the only goal was the solution of purely theoretical problems and the only reward - the search for pure truth.
The Talmud is emphatically constructed according to the canons of legal treatises, and many people, sincerely mistaken, see in it a legal work. In fact, the Talmud considers all the objects with which it deals - and it deals mainly with Halakha, the texts of the Torah and the traditions coming from the ancient sages - as natural phenomena, as an objective reality, and not as legal institutions. When dealing with nature, it is absurd to say that nothing in it is worthy of attention. Objects and phenomena, of course, vary in degree of importance, but they are all similar in that they exist. They exist, and therefore they cannot be “ignored.” When a Talmudic scholar examines an ancient tradition, he perceives it first of all as something that really exists. Regardless of whether this tradition obliges him personally or not, it is part of his world and therefore cannot be ignored. When Talmudic scholars discuss any rejected idea or interpretation, they treat it like scientists who speculate about a species of organism that has become extinct due to its inability to thrive under changed conditions. This species, figuratively speaking, “failed the survival test,” but this does not mean that it is not of interest as an object of scientific research.
One of the greatest Talmudic debates, the controversy between the schools of Shammai and Hillel, continued for more than a century. In the end, its results were summed up in the famous saying: “Both teach according to the word of G-d, but let Halacha be according to the teaching of Hillel.” The fact that one method was preferred to another does not mean that the second proceeds from the wrong premises; it is also a manifestation of creative power and the “words of G‑d.” When one of the sages said that he did not like a certain point of view, his colleagues reproached him that it was inappropriate to say about the Torah: “This is good, but that is not.” After all, not a single scientist will judge the subject being studied according to the principle “likeable - unattractive.”
This assimilation of the Torah to nature began a long time ago and was widely practiced by Jewish sages. One of the first concepts of this kind says that just as an architect builds a house according to the drawings, so the Almighty built the world according to the Torah. According to this concept, the Torah is in a certain sense structurally similar to nature, for it corresponds to something essential in the world, and does not simply express some guesses about it. And since this is so, there is nothing in it that would be “too” strange, distant or bizarre for the researcher.
The Talmud was compiled by more than one person. It was formed as a result of bringing together the thoughts and statements of numerous sages accumulated over a long time, not one of whom was destined to see the completion of the entire code during his lifetime. Their statements were inspired by the reality of the moment, the burning issues they had to solve and the debates they had to lead. Therefore, it is impossible to identify any single trend or specific goal in the Talmud. And at the same time, the Talmud has its own, unmistakably recognizable and strikingly unified appearance. It captures not the style of an individual author or a few editors, but the collective character of the Jewish people during a particular historical period. There are thousands of unnamed sayings in the Talmud, but even where the authors are named, the spirit of collective creativity prevails over the differences of individuals. No matter how fiercely two Talmudists argue, the reader eventually grasps the principles of a single faith and a common way of thinking that unite them - and then an all-embracing unity is revealed to him, covering all differences.
Although the Talmud recorded the results of centuries of analytical work, the custom has developed to refer to it as if it were written today: “Abaye says... Rava says...” This custom expresses the belief that the Talmud is not simply a compilation of the opinions of ancient sages and that it is wrong to judge it as a monument of the distant past. For the creators of the Talmud, in other words,
time was not a stream that erases the past without a trace, but a whole and growing organism in which the present and future are inextricably linked with the never-dying past.
In this process of growth, some elements have already frozen in a stable form, while others, momentary, are still plastic and changeable, but the process as such is possible only because each, even the most ancient, seemingly frozen element retains vital activity and plays its own role. role in the overall work of creation.
The belief in the continuous creative self-renewal of the world also explains why questioning doubt plays a major role in all Talmudic debates. In a certain sense, the entire Talmud is structured as questions and answers, and even where the question is not directly posed, it forms the hidden background of any statement. There is even a method of studying the Talmud (by the way, one of the most ancient), which consists in the fact that the student considers each statement as an answer and tries to reconstruct the corresponding question from it. It is no coincidence that the Talmud contains so many question words, from the simple “why?”, designed to satisfy ordinary curiosity, to the fundamental “how can it be that?”, aimed at the very foundations of the problem under discussion. The Talmud distinguishes the subtlest shades of questions: fundamental and particular, essentially and in detail. Any question is allowed and desirable, and the more questions, the better. Doubt is not only allowed, but considered necessary. The Talmud itself is built on this, and its study is also built on this. Once some basics have been learned, the student is expected to start asking questions and raising doubts. The Talmud is perhaps the only sacred book in the entire world culture that allows and even encourages doubt.
But this feature also means that the Talmud cannot be known from the outside. The unique character of the Talmud condemns any external description of it to inevitable superficiality. In conclusion, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz writes that true understanding of the Talmud can only be achieved through spiritual fusion with the text, emotional and intellectual involvement in its discussion, through becoming, in a sense, one of its creators.
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Jewish people are very religious. The Israelis honor God's commandments and try to follow them every day. The main source regulating the daily life of a Jew is the Torah. What is Torah? This concept is explained in different ways. By Torah we mean the Pentateuch of Moses, the commandments of God, the laws of Jewish society, parental instructions to children, scientific concepts.
Pentateuch of Moses
The Mosaic Pentateuch includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. That is, the “Book of the Torah” consists of five books in which the sources and postulates of the Jewish faith are revealed. The book “Genesis” tells about the creation of the world and man, original sin, the actions of the interpreter of dreams, co-ruler of the Egyptian Pharaoh Joseph.
“Exodus” tells about the flight of the Jews from Egypt, their journey through the desert, the law received by Moses from God on Mount Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle - the room in which sacrifices were carried out and the Ark of the Covenant was located (it contained fresh manna from heaven, the blossoming rod of Aaron , other things related to the life of Jews). The tabernacle was a prototype of a modern Christian temple. The structure was portable, allowing it to be transported during travel.
What is the Torah? This is also a story about the origin of the Israeli people, about the emergence of temples.
“Leviticus” continues the history of the wanderings of the Jews and sanctifies the ways of conducting Jewish services and holidays. The name “Number” comes from the word “counting the people,” which Moses carried out twice. The book sets out in detail the law given by God and talks about the wars of the Jewish people with the Gentiles.
Deuteronomy contains the instructions that Moses gave to children growing up in the desert and describes the last days of the prophet.
In addition to the Torah, the holy books of the Jews are Neviim and Ketuvim, which describe the life and work of the prophets, the struggle of believers with individuals who lead the people astray, and psalms are given to express the religious feelings of a person. The Torah, combined with Neviim and Ketuvim, constitutes the Tanakh, which other peoples call the Old Testament.
Ten Commandments
What is the Torah? The concept is also interpreted as a revelation that came down to Moses on Mount Sinai. God gave 10 commandments, according to which you need to build your life. People are instructed not to have any gods other than God, not to make idols for themselves, not to take the name of the Lord in vain, to keep the Sabbath day holy, to honor their parents, to abstain from murder, theft, adultery, false testimony, and not to covet what another person has.
Judaism interprets the commandment against taking the name of God in vain as an injunction not to renounce the faith. According to the Jews, believers are responsible for representing the Almighty to others. A false opinion about God harms both the person himself and those around him.
The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” means a prohibition against intentional killing, but not against self-defense or participation in war. Theft involves not only the appropriation of someone else's property, the kidnapping of people, but also the creation of false ideas about a person, phenomenon, or event.
Law of the Torah
Since the commandments must be observed every day, and situations vary, the rules of conduct for a believer are revealed in laws. Jews are required to strictly observe the laws of faith, marriage and forbidden relationships, circumcision, prayers, mourning, donations to the poor, Shabbat, Hanukkah, fasting, etc.
Jews believe that there is one Creator of the world, and that only he should be worshiped. What is the Torah? This is a set of rules about how to live with God. Jews pray morning, noon and evening. During morning prayer, they bow to the Almighty four times. Afternoon prayer requires special concentration, since in the afternoon the time of judgment begins. Before evening prayer, performed after sunset, hand washing is mandatory.
Jews are required to marry between the ages of 18 and 20 and have many children. Marriage with a representative of a different faith is unacceptable. Jews are forbidden to touch a woman unless she is his wife, mother, daughter or granddaughter.
A man whose close relative has died tears his clothes. The burial takes place before sunset or at least during the day. It is allowed to cry for the deceased, but without exaggerating his merits.
National Jewish holidays are timed to coincide with important events in the life of the people. Thus, Hanukkah is celebrated in honor of the victory of the Jews over their enemies. Hanukkah candles burn for eight days. During Passover, the exodus of our ancestors from Egypt is celebrated. During the holiday, you cannot eat leaven (products made from wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye), or store some medicines and perfumes in the house. Food is prepared in special dishes, and the sink and stove are covered with oilcloth or thick foil.
Also, the Torah law prohibits Jews from swearing, pronouncing oaths, wearing provocative clothing, mixing certain foods (milk with meat), refusing to visit the sick, engaging in shamanism, wearing clothes of the opposite sex, and much more.
Torah Oral and Written
The Written Torah is a set of rules for the Jewish people. The Oral Torah is considered to be the revelation on Mount Sinai given to Moses. If the Written Torah lists commandments and rules, then the Oral Torah provides corresponding explanations. For example, it is declared that you cannot work on Saturday. But what actions are considered work? The written Torah only prohibits the preparation of wood, kindling a fire, and cooking food. The Oral Torah explains the issue in more detail. The Written Torah prescribes killing animals for food, the Oral Torah explains how to do it correctly. The Written Torah lists punishments for committing crimes, while the Oral Torah outlines the procedure for trial and verdict.
A scroll of the Written Torah is kept in the synagogue, and on the basis of the Oral Torah, the Mishnah was written in the 2nd century AD. The Mishnah, together with the sayings of the prophets Gemara, forms the Talmud.
Raising children according to the Torah
Jews highly value family and everything connected with it. When raising children, Jews are guided by the triad of “love for people, confidence in one’s rightness, commitment to the truth.” Judaism does not consider the birth and raising of children to be the main task of a person (despite the injunction to have many children). People come into the world to solve the problems assigned to them, and parents help the child grow up and fulfill his destiny on earth. Therefore, Jewish mothers and fathers do not impose their will on their children, but give them the right to choose.
Based on the provisions of the Torah, the older generation teaches their children not to harm others, to defeat evil, and to try to be persistent and self-confident. Instead of shouting, moralizing and remarks, one’s own experience and example are used. The Torah does not give advice on how to raise children, it only explains what kind of person should be.
Torah in Russian: translation features
The Knizhnik publishing house translated the Pentateuch into Russian. Experts have moved away from the Synodal interpretation of the source so that the texts are accessible to the unprepared reader. For the modern Jewish people, the Torah is not only a religious book, but also a “guide to action” in various life situations.
The translators have tried to accurately convey the Hebrew text in accordance with the national tradition of understanding: The Book of the Torah has many interpretations, all of which are considered correct. Additional clarification is not always necessary, since the holy book cannot be the object of analysis by critics. At the same time, the publication is equipped with comments that help to understand the essence of what was said. In the translated Book of the Torah, the chapters are named in Hebrew, which allows the source to be used during services in the synagogue.
Translated from Hebrew, the word “Torah” means “law,” “teaching,” “instruction.”
Diagram No. 2 - internal movement in diagram No. 1: Do money and power spoil a person? In fact, these circumstances only RELEASE what was in a person even before money and power.
Every event that a person enters into due to his desires or circumstances forces him to evaluate this event with his mind, and so on. designate the quality of your consciousness (thought, deed). Which in turn becomes the reason for the next event... The state of paradise is a state of freedom from EFFECTS - blows of Fate, due to the absence of a REASON (thought, action)... Fate cannot act until (any) THOUGHT is born by human consciousness , which will characterize the quality of this consciousness. A thought that will become an impulse that starts the “wheel of life” into action. The Manifestation of Destiny will have a corrective effect on a person’s consciousness and will evoke a new thought, closing the circle of the “Wheel of Life.” This is how the principle of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil works, which is based on the law of free will. A person is FREE to commit stupidity, and by paying for his stupidity, get rid of it. Truth comes to replace it. The ultimate truth is God.
An ordinary person unknowingly spends most of his life building a “shell” that protects him from Fate. The word “shell” should be understood as a prestigious education that allows one to occupy a high social status, money, power, etc. Everyone knows that people who are physically and intellectually strong achieve success in this construction. But with power comes impunity, and with impunity comes unscrupulousness, that is, degradation. Power allows, having accomplished the CAUSE, to protect itself from the EFFECT. Those. the person who “asked the question” refuses to “listen to the answer”, remaining in his stupidity. Drugs and alcohol also create a kind of cocoon that dulls sensitivity to Fate (to God's answer).
Intelligence should not be confused with wisdom. They are connected by logic, but Truth is the result of wisdom. Pr: Copernicus, Newton, Mendeleev. And lying is a sign of intelligence. Pr: financial, political scams, political correctness. Wisdom sacrifices for truth. Intelligence uses truth.
In any society, the only form of government is democracy - the will of the majority of the people. The question is what quality the majority is. Communism, monarchy, fascism or multiculturalism are just qualitative characteristics of democracy that the majority of the people accept (welcome). Napoleon's power took place because the majority of the French, in Napoleon's place, would have acted exactly the same as Napoleon. Stalin's power came about because the majority of Soviet citizens, in Stalin's place, would have acted exactly the same as Stalin. Revolutions are made by the will of the majority; there are simply a few people who voice this will more clearly. The country's population is not divided into people and power, it is divided into a crowd that prefers lies, and an individual who prefers the truth. But the individual does not have a desire for power, she has a desire for TRUTH, in chemistry, physics, mathematics, in crime investigation, etc. A writer, artist, or politician who wants to please the crowd is himself part of it.
Democracy is not a goal, but a means. For what?
A person is defiled by his own sin, but is sanctified by someone else's. Those. in any crime there is a desecration of the criminal, but a sanctification of the victim of this crime. The most striking example: For the TRUTH, Jesus Christ, through crucifixion, accepted the sin (crime) of the crowd that condemned Him, and thereby became sanctified. This is exactly what the words in Ev. John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” or “love your enemies.”
To answer this question, first let's look at the universe through the eyes of a non-believer - one who considers everything around us to be the result of some kind of accident, and not a planned Creation
The Torah is the heritage given by G-d to the Jews and the world. The word "Torah" comes from the verb leorot(instruct). The Torah contains G-d's teachings about morality and His view of the world. This is a project to create a worthy Jewish society. The Torah was given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai; this event marked the birth of the people of Israel as a nation with a purpose. Therefore, the Torah can be called the constitution of the Jewish people. But this constitution was compiled by G-d, not by man. In practice, the Torah consists of two complementary parts: the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. The Written Torah includes the Pentateuch of Moses, the books of the Prophets ( Neviim) and Scripture ( Ketuvim). In the five books of the Pentateuch ( Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bemidbar, Dvarim) talks about the development of the Jewish people from the Creation of the World to the death of Moshe, which preceded the entry of the Jews into the Holy Land. The Pentateuch also contains the roots of all laws and the foundations of the worldview of Judaism. In the narrow sense of the word, only the Pentateuch of Moshe is often called the Torah. The books of the Prophets and Scriptures describe the events of Jewish history, from the reign of Joshua to the building of the Second Temple. They explain many of the concepts that form the basis of the theology of Judaism. The three parts of the Written Torah are the Pentateuch, Neviim, Ketuvim- together are called Tanakh The Oral Torah is no less important than the Written Torah, since it is a detailed explanation of the latter. Her instructions were also given at Mount Sinai. However, unlike the Written Torah, which by definition was always preserved in written form, the Oral Torah was first transmitted orally from generation to generation. This form forced Jews to devote more time to the communal study of the Torah and thereby guaranteed the study of the law under the guidance of a teacher who could explain it properly. It was only when difficult social conditions threatened the very existence of the Oral Torah that Rabbi Yehuda Anasi decided to write it down. The result of his work was six parts Mishnah, the work of fixing which was completed by 3948 (188 AD). Subsequent generations of sages composed explanations and commentaries on Mishneh, known as Gemara. There are two versions Gemara: Babylonian, compiled by Rav Ashi, and Jerusalem, compiled by Rabbi Yochanan in Eretz Israel. The combined text of the Mishnah and Gemara is often called the Talmud. Anyone who has delved into the study of the Talmud knows that it is an incomparable work, including legal issues, philosophical reasoning, logical arguments and instructive stories. It is not surprising that the Talmud has occupied the minds of scholars for centuries and still remains the basis of the fundamental existence of the Jewish people. Gemara means literally “completeness,” since its composition marked the final description of the words of the Most High, spoken by Him at Sinai. However, the study of these words continues to this day. Torah scholars have compiled an endless series of commentaries and explanations of the Torah, thereby helping to transmit its contents and principles to new generations. There are several groups of sages: Rabonan Savoraim(475-590 AD), Gaonim(590-1038 AD), Rishonim— The first commentators (XI-XV centuries) and Acharonim - Latest commentators (XVI century to the present day). Among them are such outstanding sages as Rashi, whose commentaries on the Tanakh and Talmud illuminated the path for subsequent generations, the Rambam, whose philosophical and legal studies helped countless Jews understand the essence of Judaism, Rabbi Yosef Karo, whose unsurpassed work on Jewish law - Shulchan Aruch— gave precise explanations of the duties of the Jews. Works that explain the Torah to new and new generations continue to appear, which is evidence of the enduring value of its study. This is what the Torah is - G-d's appeal to Jews and all humanity, replete with ideological and moral principles included in the practical fabric of life.
In general terms, it is obvious to many what the Torah is. It is generally accepted that this is the Pentateuch of Moses, including the Bibles known to us: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (in Hebrew the names come from the first word of the book, for example “Genesis” - “In the beginning”, “Exodus” - “Names” and etc). But for Jews this is a much broader and more capacious concept that determines the chosenness of the nation.
Synagogues are scattered all over the world, where devout Jews worship God, communicate, and teach their children. In the Jewish synagogue there is a special sacred place - the aron-kodesh - the ark in which the holy book is kept. Torah? This is Scripture arranged in a special scroll of handwritten text. The scroll is made of specially treated parchment, the ends of which are attached to two carved wooden bases. Every Saturday a chapter from the Pentateuch is read in the synagogue. Thus, the entire text is re-read within a year.
The origin of the Torah is also a controversial issue. Some researchers believe that these books were written gradually over several hundred years based on oral tradition. But any real Jew will tell you with confidence that the Torah was given by God himself to Moses after the people left Egypt, and at that time a covenant was concluded between the Almighty and his people.
These sacred books also describe its initial history before and after the flood. Abraham's covenant with God gave rise to a people in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. Particular attention is paid to the moral law - the Decalogue or, more simply, the 10 Commandments, as well as the ceremonial law, which describes the standards of service in the sanctuary. The Pentateuch, the Mosaic Law, clearly shows the cause-and-effect relationships between the life of the people and their well-being. Thus, the dispersion of the Jews throughout the earth is a consequence of disobedience, and the restoration of the state is a sign of mercy due to repentance.
Jewish children, especially boys, learn Torah texts by heart. Every teenager going through initiation (bar mitzvah) goes out to the synagogue for the first time to read a chapter from this book. Also, tradition requires each Jewish man to write his own list, which is quite difficult to do. The fact is that it is necessary to strictly follow the existing canons of writing, the number of characters is counted so that an error does not creep in, the list must be written in a special font, calligraphic handwriting in Hebrew. Some order the creation of their own list from specialist calligraphers, but this is very expensive. As often happened, the Jews fulfill this command, but not quite as required. For example, one list can be ordered by a group, and thus, as if everyone is the owner of the Book.
What is the Torah for a Jew? This is, first of all, his connection with God’s chosen people, especially the blessed ones. These are the rules according to which you need to build your life and the promised privileges for this. And most importantly, this is a means to keep oneself pure and to know the will of the Almighty.
You can find a lot of negative information about the Torah; rather, this is due to negativity towards its interpretation by the Jews themselves. But one cannot but agree that the Pentateuch played a huge role for many cultures, formed the basis (of Christianity and Judaism), the commandments of the Decalogue are the basis of the morality of any society, the basis of criminal and civil law. Thus, despite different answers to the question of what the Torah is, its enormous influence on the development of all human history should be recognized.