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Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi – The Secret Of Number 7 In Judaism And More Topics ENGLISH
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Judaism Religion
Judaism is one of the old religions from which religions like Christianity emerged from. Between 1900-1700 BCE, it was Abraham, widely known as a man of faith, who made covenant with God thus turning out to be a patriarch. Similarly, Moses is strongly linked with the advent of Judaism following his call to deliver Israelites of Egypt. So in the process, people developed knowledge and faith in one superior God. Judaism is mainly based in the Near East. In 70A.D, the Jerusalem church was demolished thus leading to the spreading of the Jews and their Judaism religion in various regions within the East. Tracing it from Biblical times, Judaism was considered to comprise of twelve tribes. These were Benjamin, Reuben, Dan, Naftali, Manasseh, Simeon, Issachar, Gad, Judah, Ephraim, Zebulun and Asher. Similarly, the term Jew was derived from Judah’s kingdom comprising Judah’s and Benjamin’s tribes.
This paper will discuss Judaism religion in considering its beliefs, practices, sects, challenges, influences, people and languages. The findings will then be compared with Muslim religion. It will achieve this through intensive and extensive research in both primary and secondary data sources.
Having created the rapport needed with Deacon Kenneth Peterson, my interviewee, the interview basically covered the following: What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion? How has religion shaped your life? What challenges commonly experienced in Judaism? What can you say on different types of Jewish people? How often do you worship? What are the recognized rituals you practice in Judaism? What are some of dietary restrictions in Judaism? Is there a preferred language of your religion? What is the purpose of a bar mitzvah? Did you have a bar mitzvah? Tell me some of the prejudices attributed to your Jewish religion? What are some of most misconceptions about Judaism?
According to Brill (2011), Judaism religion is considered as monotheistic. This is because it recognizes the worship of only one God. In return, people in this faith are expected to obey the Ten Commandments given to Moses during their exodus from captives. This is just the same as Muslims who believe in Worshipping of one God. According to Brill (2011), the Jewish perceive God as loving, majestic and passionately willing to intervene in divine power whenever there is a need. The Jewish, in their Judaism faith, believes in Tanakh, also known as the Hebrew’s bible: the Old Testament which has the history of the Jewish, creation, patriarchs and matriarchs. It is also faithfully and ethically accepted that the Ten Commandments outlined in this divine book through Moses are God’s ideas (Brill 2011). In addition, the Jewish believe in other scriptures like Torah, Gemara, Talmud, Nevi’im, Mishnah’s and Ketuvim which is like a collection of historical and sociological information (Brill 2011). In comparison with Muslim religion, they also believe in one God to be worshipped and God’s prophets.
There are some major beliefs in Judaism. To begin with, the Jewish believe that just as it was introduced through Abraham and Moses’ experience with God, there is one God to be worshipped and every believer has personal relationship with him (Orthodox Judaism, 1962). Secondly, God is perceived as their exclusive authority and that life is a holy gift from Him. Thirdly, the Torah, revealed through Moses, forms their ultimate guide to proper living with strong preference given to community worships (Conservative Judaism, 1962). Similarly, Muslims believe in Mohamed as the originator of the religion and recognizes Taurat which contains some of the Moses’ laws.
On the other hand, Judaism is found to exist in three main sects. These are Orthodox, Reform and Conservative Judaism (Brill 2011). In orthodox tradition, the historic faith is founded upon the old customs. In this regard, most of their way of life is dominated with traditional practices which are recognized as the ultimate will of God and are never argued nor revised. Therefore it implies that this tradition of Judaism does not tolerate social changes as part of life. In Reform Judaism, perceived to emerge in the 19th century, just came to modernize the faith of original Judaism. As much as it embraces traditional Jewish facts and teachings, it also considers the modern ways of life. In this sense, it does not strictly stick to the regular rituals as practiced by other sects of this religion (Brill 2011). In so doing, it balances both the traditional Judaism and modern social facts. However, due to dissatisfaction arising from both the Orthodox and Reform Judaism, there came into existence the Conservative Judaism (Brill 2011). In this sect, the Jews believe strongly in the traditional Jews practices as well as allow the incorporation of social realities in faith. In Muslim, the various sects may be perceived as approaches. Here, the main sects are Sunnis, Sufism, Ahmadiyya and Shi’a.
According to Brill (2011) , some of the most recognized holy days identified in Judaism are generally Sabbath, Passover, Sukkot (Festival of Light), Lag B’Omer (After Passover), Shavout, Tishah B’Av , Simchat Torah (Rejoice on Torah), Hanukah, Yom HaShoah (Holocaust day), Yom HaZikaron (Israeli remembrance day), Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence day), Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Days of Awe). Similarly, Muslims also have some celebration holidays like Ramadhan, Eid-ul fitr, Dhul hajj and Mawlid- al Nabi with a common similarity with Judaism coming in the celebration of the religion’s New Year. Unlike in Muslim religion, no Jewish is expected to work during such festivals. These holy holidays, just like in Muslim religion, normally help them to remember and practice their traditions, feel that they are part of the sacred community and remember some of the important events in the Judaism religion (Brill 2011).
Basically, the Jews people fall in two major types, which are Ashkenazim and Germanics (Conservative Judaism, 1962). However due to conversion into this Judaism religion, various types of Jews’ people are currently existing in different regions thus bringing different types of smaller types of people which include but not limited to Indian Jews, Romaniotes, Teimanin, Oman, African Jews and Kaifeng Jews among others (Brill, 2011). Similarly, Islam has spread to various people within Asia, Europe, Africa, America and Germany among others. Due to such diverse types of people in Judaism faith, there had been evolution of languages depending on the location. In this respect, the two widely developed languages in Judaism were Yiddish and Ladino. However, languages like Judaeo-Malayalan, Judaeo-Arabic, gruzinic, Krymchak and Judaeo-barber are almost extinct in use. Nowadays Judaism generally embraces the use of English, Hebrews, Russian, French and Spanish languages. This fact still holds in Islam.
One of the ceremonies in Judaism is bar Mitzvah. During this religious ceremony, a Jewish is recognized as a grown up and fully responsible for any decisions and actions. It is expected that this ceremony reinforces the Jewish belief in their religion. In the old times, it was just a ceremony. However, in the modern Jewish, bar Mitzvah is followed by a celebration of its kind depending of the Judaism sect, during which various gifts are given to the bar Mitzvah. As a matter of fact, the compulsory Bar mitzvah in Judaism has some general practices regardless of the sect. According to Orthodox Judaism (1962), a bar Mitzvah should lead specific service or prayers during either the Sabbath or weekday religious services. Secondly, he is supposed to read and traditionally chant the weekly potion of Torah and Haftarah during either the Sabbath or the normal weekly services. He is also expected to read the Torah and Haftarah as well as provide speech about them. Finally he would conduct charity project which would enable him collect donations from various believers for purposes of affording his chosen material (Conservative Judaism, 1962).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/judaism-articles/judaism-religion-4897934.html
About the Author
The author is associated with Custom Written Essays. The author will assist you with Religious Essays.
Judaism and Islam believe in one God: Christianity in trinity: Who is right?
Judaism and Islam believe in one God: Christianity in trinity: Who is right?
Judaism proclaims one eternal God, creator of the universe. He is All Mighty and All knowledgeable. He has created the universe and all that within it.
In Judaism, as proclaimed in the Torah(the Law), it is a great sinful blasphemy to associate anything with God. God, the one and only and the unique alone is to be recognized, to be believed in, to be worshipped, to be loved and to be served as well as to be obeyed. He alone, being indivisible, Yahweh, is one eternal God, nothing is to be associated with Him, in any way, nothing to be worshipped apart from Him, nothing to be served except for Him and nothing to be obeyed except Him.
Any idols or shapes or forms are forbidden in Judaism and are never to be taken for worship and nothing can be associated with God, the Eternal.
Islam, like Judaism, proclaims the oneness of God, the unique, the indivisible and eternal. He is the creator of the universe and all manifestations of life. He is the creator of life and death. He has created man in order to test him. Islam proclaims further the God is one, unique, indivisible, All Mighty and All knowledgeable, All wise and All powerful. He begets none and is not begotten, He is eternal, creator of everything, the universe and whatever is within it.
God, in Islam, cannot be associated with anything. Associating in Islam anything with God, whether idols or humans or any other thing is strictly forbidden and considered as a terrible sinful blasphemy punished by hell fire in eternity.
Christianity believes in Jesus Christ as the son of God and God Himself. Christ is part of the Trinity being God the son, God the father and Archangel Gabriel.
God was born to a woman called Mary, He worked as a carpenter to earn His living and feed His mother. They had hard time together, he preached for Himself but lack of luck He was captured by Pilate and sentenced to death on the cross by King Herod. God, as son and father at the same time with the Holy Ghost Gabriel were all crucified and all died on the cross, then buried and self resurrected, after thirty three years of human life on earth, human humiliation and suffering.
Who is right and who is wrong?
What religion proclaims the truth and what religion proclaims falsehood?
Are Judaism and Islam right or wrong? Is Christianity right or wrong?
You cannot have the three religions proclaiming different things and can be proclaimed as right or false. Oneness and indivisibility of God cannot be considered as trinity! Trinity considering three in one cannot be considered as oneness and indivisible God.
So, one belief system is right and the other must be wrong.
For is it impossible to be one indivisible God and be at one and the same time a trinity of son, father and angel in trinity!
One of the belief systems must be wrong. Both beliefs in one God and trinity cannot be right at the same time.
Thus, it is either one or the other!
Either that Judaism and Islam both are right and Christianity is wrong and false, or Christianity must be right and the other two belief-systems are wrong!
What complicates the situation is that Judaism and Islam consider the Christian belief in trinity as falsehood and blasphemy and those who associate with God anything shall be the dwellers in eternal hell fire.
Christianity on the other hand, consider that God, being in a Trinity, is the true belief system, that is divine in origin and prescriptions. Christianity considers itself to be the only true religion and that belief is one God is three dimensional truth and that Judaism, is therefore not fully true for it denies the trinity. Christianity considers further Islam as a false religion and God is not only one but three in one. Judaism does not consider Christianity as a true belief system and that Islam is a false religion.
Well, it is left up to you, to every individual person, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, or non- believer, to consider which of these belief systems, or religions, is false and which one is true.
The plausibility of every belief system in these religions rests entirely on the personal convictions of every person, believer or not.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/metaphysics-articles/judaism-and-islam-believe-in-one-god-christianity-in-trinity-who-is-right-4017217.html
About the Author
What Christians ought to know about the Torah: the Law or the Old testament
What Christians ought to know about the Torah: the Law or the Old testament
Christians believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and God Himself in one with the Holy Ghost Gabriel in Trinity. While the Law, or the Torah, is the first written divine message sent to the Israelites and the Pharaoh in particular and to the whole of mankind in the absolute general.
The Law declares that there is one and only unique and eternal God. He is begets none nor is He begotten. The law makes it absolutely clear that God is the creator of the universe and all that is within it. He is the creator of life and death and He is the only Lawgiver.
The Law commands humans to believe in Him and only Him. It prescribes that Humans ought to worship only one God and serve only Him. No other shapes or statues or any other gods ought to be taken in worship beside the one and only God, the Eternal. If any takes other than God All Mighty as god, to bow before it, whether a human or otherwise, then the wrath of God falls on his head and this blasphemer shall suffer in this life and in the hereafter he, or she, shall be thrown in Gahanna, the Hell Fire for eternity.
Human believers who ratify this Covenant or Alliance with God, accept and keep it must obey the Law of God prescribed in detail in the Torah and must not infringe or break their covenant. Otherwise the punishment is terrible.
Human are warned against taking any other thing, human or otherwise for worship and adoration. Only God All Mighty, the one and only indivisible God is to be worshipped and served.
Christians believe in what four utter Liars, John, Paul, Luke and Marc have terribly pronounced clear and evident blasphemy by taking Jesus Christ as the son of God and God Himself in a trinity with the Holy Spirit Gabriel.
They have abandoned the teachings and prescriptions of the Divine Message of the Torah. They have violated the first Commandment of the Law and have believed in this terrible blasphemy. They have broken the Divine Scriptures of the Old testament and distorted the truth of its prescriptions. They have broken the Covenant of true belief. What proof do Christians or those utter liars so called the Apostles have dared to write and ascribe sonship to God All Mighty.
While God is far above exalted in power and nothing can be compared to Him. Nothing can be associated with Him. Nothing is to be worshipped and adored beside Him. Nothing to be served apart from Him. Nothing to be venerated, loved and obeyed beside God, the All powerful and the All Exalted.
But Christians have blasphemed and made Jesus Christ, a mere human being, subject to birth, work, living and death, him and his mother. If God will then He would destroy Jesus, his mother Mary, Gabriel and the whole human species and all other living phenomena. He alone has created the universe and He alone guards the universe. He alone can destroy the universe as He alone pleases.
What can Jesus the son of Mary do? Nothing, utterly nothing. But Christians have blasphemed and they continue in their erroneous path to blaspheme and deny the Oneness and indivisibility of God the All Mighty and the Eternal. Christians reduce God All Mighty the creator of the universe and the whole manifestations of life and death to a child, conceived by a human called Mary, he has to work for a living. He Preach ed for His own self and then caught by His servants and slaves , then judged by man and sentenced to death on the cross. What bullshit is this? What none sense can this be? What utter blasphemy can this distorted anecdote can ever be?
But Christians persist in heir plighted blasphemy and are arrogant and ignorant to what the Torah has revealed to mankind. They are arrogant to the truth and associate a mere human being with the All Mighty Eternal
Would they not desist? Would they not see how far astray they went? Would they not take heed of a blazing Fire that eats them up for ever in the Hereafter?
Christians do go farther in their blasphemy and reject Islam as a divine message. What proof do they have of that? The Qur’an in is teachings prescribe the same message as the Torah and call mankind to believe in one and only God, the Eternal, indivisible God, creator of the universe and all that within it, creator of humans and all other species by an act of His will.
The Qur’anic message prescribes that humans ought to believe and worship one and only God, the All Mighty, love only God and serve only God. God, in the Qur’an is the same as he is in the Torah. No associates are to be taken in His worship or service. Glory is only to God and never to anything else. He is eternal and has never begotten a son or anything nor is He begotten. Islam denies absolutely the crucifixion of Christ.
Christians! Take heed before a Day shall come and you will be all dwellers of eternal Hell Fire for you disbelief and blasphemy!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/metaphysics-articles/what-christians-ought-to-know-about-the-torah-the-law-or-the-old-testament-3874857.html
About the Author
This is Allah (69) Allah Said to Moses: Take the Torah Seriously
Many people do not know Allah. This series (1-69) is an attempt to help them to know their Creator.
Verses 7:145-146 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) Allah shall turn away believing in His revelations those who behave arrogantly, 2) Allah says: if the arrogates see the right path they do not adopt it and vice versa, 3) Allah wrote for Moses the Law upon the tablets, 4) Allah said to Moses: Take the Torah seriously, 5) What were the Tablets of Torah made from and how many they were? 6) Could Moses lift and carry the Torah of the Quran or the Torah of the Bible? And 7) Allah showed Moses the dwelling places of Pharaoh in the Afterlife
——-
In thee previous article (68)
Allah said: O Moses! I have preferred thee above mankind, above the Children of Israel by My messages and by My speaking unto thee. So hold that which I have given thee, act upon that which I have given you, and be among the thankful that I chose to speak to you from among all people.
——-
The meaning of verse 7:145
And Allah inscribed for Moses in the Tablets, that is, the Tablets of the Torah about all things, one needs in religion, as an admonition and a detailing, an explanation, of all things.
In other words, And Allah wrote for Moses, upon the tablets, the lesson, the prohibition to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things of the lawful and the unlawful, commands and prohibitions. Then Allah said to Moses:
1) Take it then firmly, seriously and earnestly, and enjoin your people to adhere to the fairest precepts in it i.e. command your people (saying): Take the better act and 2) I shall show you the abode of the wicked, evil-livers, the transgressors of Pharaoh and his followers, which is hell; the Eternal Fire.
This indicates that Allah showed Moses the dwelling places of Pharaoh and his followers in the Eternal Fire. These dwelling places are their forever!
Furthermore, It is said that these Tablets were made from the Lote-tree of Paradise, or of chrysolite or emerald, and they were either seven or ten. This seems reasonable because Moses would be able to carry them.
N.B. the Torah today would not be written on 7 or 10 tablets of chrysolite or emerald; one needs some 700-1000 tablets to write it on. These tablets need a big truck to carry them! A world champion of the weight lifting could not carry them!
This is the difference between the Torah mentioned in the Quran and the Torah found in the Bible!
The meaning of verse 7:146
Then Allah said:
I shall turn away from My signs, the proofs of My power, in the way of creations and otherwise, those who behave arrogantly in the earth without right, by humiliating them so that they do not magnify themselves;
and if they see every sign do not believe in it,
and if they see the way, the path, of rectitude, the guidance that has come from Allah, do not adopt it as a way, to follow,
and if they see the way of error, misguidance, adopt it as a way.
That, turning of them away, is because they have denied Our signs and were heedless of them.
A similar statement has been made above.
In other words, Allah said:
I shall turn away believing in My revelations those who magnify themselves wrongfully without any right
it is also said that this means: I will show you, O Muhammad, the abode of evil-doers
it is also said that it refers to who see each token and do not believe, and if they see the way of righteousness the way of Islam and goodness they do not choose it for their way; they would not consider it a way,
and if they see the way of error, the way of disbelief and idolatry they choose it for their way.
Why Allah turns them away? Because they deny His revelations, His Scripture and His Messengers and they are used to disregard them, disbelieving in them.
===========
Verses 7:145-146 in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:
Verse 7:145
QARIB: we inscribed for him upon the tablets all kinds of exhortation and clear explanations of all things. so take it forcefully, and order your nation to take what is best of it. i shall show you the home of the wicked.
SHAKIR: and we ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things; so take hold of them with firmness and enjoin your people to take hold of what is best thereof; i will show you the abode of the transgressors
PICKTHAL: and we wrote for him, upon the tablets, the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things, then (bade him): hold it fast; and command thy people (saying): take the better (course made clear) therein. i shall show thee the abode of evil-livers.
YUSUFALI: and we ordained laws for him in the tablets in all matters, both commanding and explaining all things, (and said): “take and hold these with firmness, and enjoin thy people to hold fast by the best in the precepts: soon shall i show you the homes of the wicked,- (how they lie desolate).”
Verse 7:146
QARIB: from my signs i will turn away the unrightfully, arrogant in the land, so that even if they witness every sign they would not believe it. if they see the path of righteousness, they shall not take it as a path; but if they see the path of error, they shall take it for their path because they belied our signs and were inattentive towards them.
SHAKIR: i will turn away from my communications those who are unjustly proud in the earth; and if they see every sign they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of rectitude they do not take it for a way, and if they see the way of error. they take it for a way; this is because they rejected our communications and were heedless of them
PICKTHAL: i shall turn away from my revelations those who magnify themselves wrongfully in the earth, and if they see each token believe it not, and if they see the way of righteousness choose it nor for (their) way, and if they see the way of error choose if for (their) way. that is because they deny our revelations and are used to disregard them.
YUSUFALI: those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right – them will i turn away from my signs: even if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; and if they see the way of right conduct, they will not adopt it as the way; but if they see the way of error, that is the way they will adopt. for they have rejected our signs, and failed to take warning from them.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/this-is-allah-69-allah-said-to-moses-take-the-torah-seriously-641248.html
About the Author
Co-Chief editor, October Weekly magazine, Cairo, Egypt.
Orthodox Views on the Torah
The revelatory experience at Sinai is considered by Jews as the seminal event in the history of the Jewish people.
The Bible shows God as having established a relationship with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but Sinai solidified the relationship between God and Israel.
The classical Jewish understanding of Matan Torah(the giving of the Torah) as reflected in the Bible and in rabbinic literature, is that Sinai represents the central revelatory experience by God to the Jewish people.
This experience was and remains the highest form of prophetic revelation in history because it was transparent, audible, and occurred to a minimum of 600,000 male adults.
While the significance and awe of later prophetic revelation is clear, it in contrast usually occurred via dreams or visions to individuals. Later authorship of the hagiographical literature in the Bible occurred via the inspiration of ruach hakodesh (the holy spirit).
The uniqueness of Sinaitic revelation establishes the divine authorship of the dual Torah and consequently rabbinic exegesis thereafter. The Pirke Avot’s (Sayings of the Fathers) initial verse “Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted to Joshua; Joshua to the Elders…etc.” is the foundation of traditional Jewish orthodoxy on the matter.
The theological justification then for the view that “Torah” or the Covenant at Sinai represented the highest view of revelation and subsequently authority in Jewish religious life stems from unequaled manner in which the transmission took place.
The nature of the Torah lends it self to a level of authority expected to transcend the generations. Exodus 12:14 provides us with one example: “…throughout your generations you shall observe it [Pesach] as an ordinance for ever.”
The classical orthodox Jewish position also views the term “Torah” as quite an inclusive term. The actual miraculous revelation at Sinai which resulted in the reception of a Written Law (i.e. Torah She Biktav) is at the heart of the revelation at Sinai, but it also includes the expository directives and methodology for adapting and developing Jewish law known as the Oral Law (Torah She’Ba’al Peh).
The term is inclusive of the entire Hebrew Bible and all subsequent rabbinic applications, decisions, and understanding to the present day.
For Traditional Judaism then, revelation and thus Torah are as Louis Jacobs notes, static. That is, the Torah remains the same throughout the generations. Jews are therefore according to the traditional view obligated to observe it as an infallible guide to life.
That position is articulated in the medieval period in by the great Jewish rabbi Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles, and the hymn Yigdal where it states: ” God gave his people a Torah of Truth by means of his prophet the most trusted of his household. God will never amend nor exchange His law for any other one, for all eternity.”
If the Torah cannot be amended, then Halakhah (Jewish Law) can only be derived according to very well prescribed rules. The binding nature of the Torah as reflected by and through the prism of a rabbinic worldview cannot be negotiated.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/orthodox-views-on-the-torah-488811.html
About the Author
Jacob Lumbroso writes articles on history, foreign cultures, and Judaism. For more information on the Tallit or other Jewish symbols, visit http://www.judaicaquest.com
The Dual Nature of the Torah
Traditional Judaism believes that there is a dual Torah, consisting of the Torah Sh’b'ktav (the Written Torah) and the Torah Sh’Ba’al Peh (the Oral Torah). Commandments or statutes derived from the written Torah are called “d’Oraita” from the Aramaic word meaning “from the Torah.”
For classical Judaism, the Oral Torah consists of Oral Torah revealed simultaneously at Sinai as well as enactments or laws instituted by later rabbis (d’Rabbanan). The basis or authority for the laws classified as”d’Rabbanan” and for the implementation of the observance of the commandments is derived from Deuteronomy 17:8-11.
The rabbis claim that the authority to interpret the commandments and subsequently define (i.e. the way in which the commandments are observed) is found in the written Torah itself, where Moses states that any case or question too difficult for the Jewish people in future days should be brought before the priests and judges in office at that time.
The rabbis serve as judges and legislators akin to a court and a legislature. Rabbis are in fact dayanim (i.e. Judges). The written Torah serves as the constitution for Israel with the Oral Torah and the Rabbis serving as the legislative process. Like the Constitution of the United States, the actual implementation of its statutes, and future needed statutes are left to the Congress and the validity of those laws is left to the courts. The concept of a constitutional model for Torah law that “evolves” or is “pliable” allows it to remain relevant and applicable.
A Torah model that does not include this eventually creates a situation in which many biblical commandments cannot be observed, applied, or understood. Hence a community like the Karaites who argue that they follow only the Biblical text have almost reached the point of extinction, have isolated and in fact excluded themselves from the Jewish community by adopting different calendar and different laws. In the end they nevertheless created a body of their own “halachah”out of necessity in attempting to follow the written text.
The case or argument for the Oral Torah exists on two levels. On a very basic level, the very necessity of Oral Torah can be established by looking at the text of the Torah itself.
The a Torah scroll is written only with consonants, without vocalization. Hence one word written in Hebrew can have multiple meanings. Hence, where the Hebrew text says “BNCH,” one might render this as “Bonayich” “your Builders” or as “B’nayich” “your Children.” This occurs quite often. Vowels marks were only added much later after the text was written and codified.
So even our very ability to read and understand the text is based upon an oral tradition which provides us with both the ability to pronounce the alphabet, to read, and most importantly understand the text.
The famous Hillel was approached by a non-Jew who desired to learn the Torah on the condition he would learn the written Torah only. He started teaching him the alef-bet and the next day changed the names of the letters and their pronunciation and the student was confused. He did this to prove a point!
The text is foundational but it is informed and understood only with the aid of the oral tradition.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/the-dual-nature-of-the-torah-502314.html
About the Author
Jacob Lumbroso writes articles on history, foreign cultures, and Judaism. For more information on the Tallit or other Jewish symbols, visit http://www.judaicaquest.com
