Foundations Of A Major World Religion - Judaism - Sacred Texts

Question 1

How many books are within the Torah, and what do we find in them?

Answer 1

5 and the history of the Jews

Question 2

What does ‘the history of the Jews’ include (in the Torah)?

Answer 2

• the creation of the world
• God’s covenant with Abraham
• Moses and the Exodus from Egypt
• their moral and legal codes

Question 3

What can the word ‘Torah’ also include?

Answer 3

The whole body of holy teachings that explain the Bible and guide Jews in their daily lives - known as the Oral Torah/Talmud

Question 4

How did the Torah come to be written down?

Answer 4

• history/beliefs of the Jewish people passed down from generation to generation
• was eventually written down so it wouldn’t be lost/changed

Question 5

Was the Torah all written by one person?

Answer 5

• some Jews believe that no, it was written by different people because it contains different writing styles and some repetition
• Orthodox Jews believe the entire Torah is the word of God written by Moses

Question 6

What language is the Torah written in and what is it written on?

Answer 6

• Hebrew, even nowadays when it’s being copied for worship, a trained scribe must write it in Hebrew
• scrolls

Question 7

What is the Jewish holy day, and what is it called in Judaism.

Answer 7

• Friday

- Shabbat

Question 8

How much of the Torah is read each Shabbat?

Answer 8

A section, until all 5 books are read in a year

Question 9

During festivals, what parts of the Torah are read?

Answer 9

Special sections that mention the particular festival or deal with a special theme.

Question 10

How often do rabbis say the Torah should be read?

Answer 10

Three times a week, on a Monday, a Thursday and a Saturday.

Question 11

What happens the the Torah is removed from the Ark?

Answer 11

The people stand, and chant verses from the Torah, which are sung rather than spoken.

Question 12

How is the Torah read?

Answer 12

It is considered to be too sacred to touch, so it’s held on scrolls and read using a special pointer stick. The scrolls are stored in a wooden case, or are sometimes covered with beautifully decorated cloth.

Question 13

How many rules does the Torah include, what are they called, and where did Moses receive them?

Answer 13

613 rules, or mitzvot, including the Ten Commandments, and they were given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Question 14

What is the Oral Torah?

Answer 14

Discussions about what the Torah means and how it could be used in everyday life.

Question 15

What sacred texts does the Oral Torah include?

Answer 15

• The Mishnah
• The Talmud
• The Midrash

Question 16

What is the Mishnah?

Answer 16

A written study on the Torah written around 200 C.E.

- centred around marriage, divorce, legal matters and trade

Question 17

What is the Talmud?

Answer 17

Made up of ideas/stories from Jewish teachers/rabbis over 800 years, completed in 500 C.E.

• helps people understand how to apply the old laws to new problems and is full of wise sayings
• expands on the Mishnah

Question 18

What is the Midrash?

Answer 18

• writings which use examples from everyday life to help explain difficult parts of the Torah

Question 19

What is the main sacred text of Judaism, what are the 3 books within it and what does each one focus on?

Answer 19

• The Tanakh
• The Torah (Pentateuch)
• The Nevi’im (Prophets)
• The Ketuvim (Holy Writings)