Scripture in Judaism Flashcards
What is the Torah, and what does it encompass?
Torah refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
What are the three main sections of the Hebrew Bible
The three sections are Torah, Prophets (Nevi’im), and Writings (Ketuvim).
What does the term “Tanakh” stand for?
“Tanakh” is an acronym for Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim.
Briefly explain the content of each of the three sections of the Hebrew Bible.
- Torah – relates the history of creation and focuses on the relationship between God and the Jewish people
- Prophets – include works attributed to individual prophets
- Writings – cover various genres such as history, psalms, and proverbs
Why is commentary central to Judaism?
The Second Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire, leading Rabbis to reorganize Judaism around scripture and its interpretation.
What is the Hebrew term for commentary?
Midrash
what is the purpose of midrashim or the Oral Torah/Talmud?
To explain the meaning of passages in specific circumstances and address apparent contradictions.
What is the Mishnah?
A collection of legal texts preserving Judaism after the destruction of the Temple
What is the Gemara?
The Gemara provides commentaries on the Mishnah
Where was the Gemara created?
Jerusalem and Babylon
The Mishnah and Gemara together make up the ________
Talmud
How many books are in the Taakh altogether?
24 books all together
5 books in the Tora
8 books in Nevi’im
11 books in the Ketuvim
How did the Tanakh evolve?
It grew organically, additional books were written and added over centuries.
What metaphor is used to describe the development of the Tanakh?
an ancient tree–with branches growing out of other branches with their leaves–illustrates unity
What is the overall meaning of ‘Torah’ to Jews?
Teaching or Instructions
What major event occurred in the year 70 that had a significant impact on Judaism?
The destruction of the Temple
How did Rabbis respond to the destruction of the Temple?
They worked to preserve the original beliefs and teachings and salvage Judaism
What was the role of Rabbis in post-Temple Judaism?
They coordinated Judaism–made decisions on interpretations, determined canonical books, and adapted rituals for group settings in synagogues and homes.
What was the role of synagogues?
Filled the role of worship buildings, community centers, places to study
Who were the first rabbis?
Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, scribes
When was the first temple constructed?
Built by King Solomon but was destroyed by an invasion of Babylonia
