Jewish written law is somewhat complicated!
The Jewish "Bible" consists of 3 sections. First areThe Five Books of Moses (sometimes known asThe Pentacheuch). This is known to Jews as Torah. Second are the books of the Prophets, which Jews call Nevi'im (the Hebrew word for prophets) and third are a collection of other books such as histories (eg Kings 1&2, Judges, Maccabees 1&2), poetry (Song of Solomon, Psalms) and wisdom (eg Ecclesiastes) which are called Ketuvim (Writings). Together they pretty much match what Christians call The Old Testament. The 3 section together are often refered to by the mnemonic, Tenakh.
As well as these biblical texts, there is the codification of early, orally transmitted law, written down during the 2nd Century CE, which is called the Mishnah and there is a huge collection of rabbinic commentary and interpretation, known as the Gemara.The Mishnah and Gemara together are known as the Talmud.
Although, strictly speaking, Torah is just the 5 Books of Moses, the term is often used to refer to the whole of the written law.
The Torah
The five books of Torah are:
- Bereshit (Genesis)
- Shemot (Exodus)
- Vayikrah (Leviticus)
- Bemidbar (Numbers)
- Devarim (Deuteronomy)
Each one is named, in Hebrew, by its first significant word:
- Bereshit = Beginning
- Shemot = Names
- Vayikrah =And He called
- Bemidbar = In the wilderness
- Devarim =Words
Each week in the synagogue a section of the Torah is read aloud to the congregation. The whole of the 5 books are divided up into 54 parashot, or portions and one is read each week. Thus the whole Torah is read during the year (There are times when it is necessary to combine 2 parashot into one week to make them fit the year, but remember, the Jewish year works on a cycle of Lunar months and does not quite match the Julian calendar). This reading forms the focal point of the Sabbath (Saturday) morning service. Every Jew has the duty to read the Torah and, in order to fulfill this obligation, several members of the congregation are called each week to read a portion of the week's reading.
The Torah is read from a large hand written scroll, called a Sefer Torah, in which the Hebrew text has no punctuation or vowels. As you can imagine, reading it is not easy and it is usual for a rabbi or other expert to do the reading while the person who has been called up watches. The congregation will follow the reading in book called a Chumash, which, in addition to the Hebrew text, complete with vowels, usually contains an English translation, commentaries as well as complementary readings, known as Haphtarah, from the books of the prophets.
In an orthodox service 7 people will be called to read, in a progressive service it is more likely to be 3.
Torah is at the heart of Judaism. For Orthodox Jews it is the unalterable word of G-d, given by divine inspiration, or in some other way, by G-d to Moses.
This orthodox or fundamentalist viewpoint maintains, therefore, that if the text says that "God created" then this is a fact, for the word of God is by definition truth itself. It maintains further that the Torah, being given by God, must carry meaning in every word and that not even one letter can be superfluous. One may not understand everything, but that is a human shortcoming. If modern scientific knowledge appears to contradict the biblical word, then either our present-day science will prove to be in error or we do not understand the Bible properly. This was and is the position of Orthodox Judaism, fundamentalist Christianity, and of most commentaries of the past. (Gunther Plaut, The Torah a Modern Commentary, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1981)For progressive Jews, Torah is understood as a text that was written by humans beings with the benefit of divine inspiration and through which the voice of G-d may be heard.
For Jews of both camps, Torah is something to be studied, rejoiced in and studied again. Milton Steinberg (1903-50), an American rabbi, wrote:
To the Book of Deuteronomy, Torah is the life and good which is set before man as an alternative to death and evil; at the same time it is Israel’s wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations. To the Prophet it is the water for which all men thirst, the bread for which they starve—which is yet dispensed without silver or price. To the Psalmist it is the light in which he sees light, or alternatively the spiritual sustenance whose taste is sweeter than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. To a Rabbi of ancient days it is something to be delved into further and further, since all things are in it; something over which a man may grow grey and old, never stirring from its contemplation, knowing that he can have no better pursuit or rule. To mediaeval Jews in their ghettos it is, by the testimony of a folk-song, a treasure better than all worldly goods. To the modern Hebrew poet, Bialik, it is a great flame kindled on high altars in olden days. And to all generations of Jews from Isaiah on, it is the word of the Lord destined in the end to regenerate man and society.Each week, during the part of the service when the Torah is read we read a prayer that includes the words:
It is a tree of life to all who grasp it and those who hold fast to it are happy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. There is great peace for those who love Your Torah, and for them there is no stumbling.