Jewish Laws and Sages

What was the Sanhedrin? How many members did it have?

A group of 71 sages who made sure that Jewish law was executed correctly.

If there is a modern Halakhic question today, what happens??

A rabbi or group of rabbis get together and write a Responsa - a Rabbinic decision. Responsas will differ between Jewish communities (eg. Orthodox vs. Conservative).

Yehudah (Judah) HaNasi

A second century Rabbi, first to write down Oral Torah

Ibn Ezra

A teacher of Judaism in Spain. The Sefer Ha'Yashar was his most famous works. But also he also wrote about the Hebrew languarge, and mathematics and secular subjects (Astrology).

Jerusalem Talmud/Palestinian Talmud

A version of the Talmud produced during the 4th cent. CE by rabbinic scholars at Tiberias.

Babylonian Talmud

A version of the Talmud produced in Babylon

Who compiled the Oral Law and finally wrote it down? What is the written Oral law called?

Around 200 CE, when the Oral law became too difficult to pass on, Rabbi Judah HaNasi compliled it into a set of 6 books called the Mishna. After the destruction of the Temple, and the Jews now dispersed in the diaspora, it became apparent that passing the Oral law on would be impossible if it wasn't written down. Also with all the interpretations of the Zugot and the Tannaim the Mishna had become to big to remember by heart.

What is another Hebrew term used to refer to the 5 books of Moses?

Humash - an abbreviation of Hamisha Humshei Torah (5 books of Torah)

What is another Hebrew word used for the 5 books of Moses?

Humash - an abbreviation of Hamisha Humshei Torah (5 books of Torah)

What does the word "Bible" mean?

It comes from the Greek work meaning "the books".

What is the section of Neviim that's read each Shabbat called?

It is called the Haftarah, and there is usually a link between the Haftarah and the parasha.

What is the Greek word for the Holy Bible?

Pentateuch

A part of the Mishna that contains ethical teachings and quotes of sages of the time.

Pirket Avot - or Ethics of the Fathers.

Rambam/Maimonides

Rabbi Moses ben Maimon. Sephardic sage of the Middle ages who was born in Cordoba, Spain. His family fled to Morocco, but he lived his later life in Egypt. On one hand he was a physician and on the other he wrote the Mishneh Torah, still one of the most widely used commentaries on the Talmud. He also developed the ladder of tzedakah we follow today.

Ramban/Nachmanides

Rabbi Moses ben Nahman A Sephardic Rabbi of the middle ages, born in Girona, Spain, who eventually settled in Jerusalem. His most important commentary on the Talmud is called Chidushai Ha'Ramban. He is best known for settling a dispute about Christianity vs. Judaism before the King of Aragon.

Rashbi

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was Rabbi Akiva's star student. He had to hide from the Romans by living with his son in a cave; he wrote kabbalistic texts that shone the light on mystical Judaism. Hassidic sects celebrate with bon fires on the top of Mt. Meron, where he is buried, on Lag Ba'Omer.

Rashi

Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki A medieval, Ashkenazi, French rabbi and author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud and commentary on the Tanakh; he was probably the most influential of all the medieval sages. He developed a special script called "Rashi script". He was also a vintner (wine maker), and saw a lot of his family and friends die by the Crusaders.

Rashbam

Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir Rashbam was Rashi's grandson, and was also an Ashkenazi French biblical commentator and Talmudist. His approach was quite different from Rashi and he often contradicted halakhah. He taught his younger brother, Rabbenu Tam, another imporant sage of the time.

Lo Alekha Ha'mlakha Ligmor

Rabbi Tarfon's quote in Pirkei Avot - One doesn't have to complete the job of repairing the world (tikkun olam), but neither is one free from trying to at least do something to help, or get a project started.

What word do Jews use to refer to the Hebrew bible?

TaNaKh - an acronym referring to the 3 sections: 1. Ta - the Torah (5 books of Moses) 2. Na - the Prophets (8 books of Neviim) 3. Kh - The Writings (11 books of Ketuvim).

Based on the centuries of discussions by the sages, what else was compiled to elaborate the 'Whys' of the Mishna?

The Gemara - a rabbinical commentary on the Mishnah, forming the second part of the Talmud.

How many books of Mishna are there?

The Mishna is a collection of 6 'orders' (Sidrei) which are elaborations of torah law that were handed down orally, then written down around 200 CE when Jews started to disperse after the destruction of the Temple.

What does Mishnah refer to?

Mishna comes from the Hebrew root meaning "to repeat, because the Oral laws had to be repeated for each generation

In the TaNAkh, what does the Na - "Neviim" refer to?

Neviim are the Prophets. There are 8 books. Early Prophets: 1. Joshua 2. Judges 1-2 3. Kings 1-2 4. Samuel 1-2 Literary (later) Prophets 5. Isaiah, 6. Jeremiah, 7. Ezekiel, 8. the twelve minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

Hillel and Shammai

One of the Zuggot, a chevruta pair in post-Temple Israel. They were leaders of two houses of Jewish learning. Although the decisions of both are considered correct, due to Hillel's modesty we generally follow Beit Hillel's decisions such as lighting Hanukkah candles from 1-8 instead of the reverse.

Saadia Gaon

One of the most famous medieval Jewish thinkers from Fayyum, Egypt. Most of what we know comes from letters and materials found int he Cairo Geniza. He brought new understanding of Jewish tradition to the Jews in the Muslim world by using both beautiful Arabic, Greek philosophy.

Shulkhan Arukh

- written by Yosef Caro (16th century, Sephardi Rabbi) - also known as the Code of Jewish Law, it is still the most authoritative legal code of Judaism (of Halakha). - shows that Caro's traditions were quite different than the traditions that were happening in Poland

Halakha

1. Jewish laws covering obligations and duties. Specifically, instructions on how to go about fulfilling the mitzvot (commandments). 2. Halakha comes from the root 'to go or walk"). 3. Jewish law come from the he Hebrew bible and the Talmud.

Like the Knesset of today, the Great Assembly had how many members?

120

Rabban Gamliel

1st century Rabbi, Nassi of the Sanhedrin.

Yochanan ben Zakkai

A 1st century Jewish rabbi who faked his death to escape the Romans, and founded a school to preserve Judaism in Yavneh.

Rabbi Akiva

A Rabbi, who lived in the first and second centuries who was illiterate until he was forty. At 40 he began to study and eventually Rabbi Akiva became one of the most important Rabbi in the development of Jewish religious law. He arranged the Oral Law according to subjects, thus laying the preliminary groundwork for the Mishnah. On Lag Ba'omer we commemorate the end of the plague that was killing Rabbi Akiva's students.

Who is wise?

Ben Zoma's quote has 4 parts: Who is wise - the one who learns from everyone Who is rich - the one who is happy with what they have Who is brave - the one who stay in control of anger Who is respected - the one who honors everyone else.

To who was the Oral law passed to during biblical times?

From Moses to Joshua to the Zekanim (Judges) to the Neviim to the Anshei Knesset Ha'Gedola (the great assembly)

What are the names of the 5 books of Moses

Genesis (Breishit) Exodus (Shmot) Leviticus (Va'yikra) Numbers (Ba'midbar) Deuteronomy (D'varim)

What is the term used to refer to the sages of the Talmud?

HAZAL (Het Zayin Lamed). This is an acronum for Hachameinu Zikhronam li'vrakha. Our Wise Teachers, may their memory be a blessing. In modern times the ZAl (Zayin"Lamed), is used after the name of someone who has died.

Im Ein Ani Li Mi Li

Hillel's quote in Pirkei Avot - Has 3 parts: One needs to stand up for one's self because no one else will, but yet one needs to be open to helping others, otherwise what kind of person are you! The 3rd part is 'don't procrastinate'.

What were the titles of the 2 leaders of the Sanhedrin? What were these leader pairs called?

The Nasi - the president Av Beit Din - Made sure proper decisions were reached These leader pairs are called the Zugot - and there were 5 sets that led the Jewish people during the time the Sandedrin existed. The last set of Zugot were Hillel and Shammai.

What is the Christian term for the Hebrew bible?

The Old Testament. Christians added a second bible around 1 CE, called The New Testament which are scriptures written during and after the time of Jesus.

What are the laws given at the time of Revelation but not written down referred to?

The Oral Law (Torah sh'be'alpeh) - the interpretation of Torah in the Talmud is considered to have been passed down from generation to generation from the time of revelation and until it was finally written down around 200 CE.

What is the Mishna and Gemara together called?

The Talmud

In the Tanakh what does the Kh - Ketuvim section refer to?

The Writings. There are 11 books. 5 Megillot: 1. Esther (Purim), 2. Ruth (Shavuot), 3. Song of Songs (Passover), 4. Ecclesiastes (Sukkot), 5. Lamentations (Tisha B'Av) Psalms Proverbs Daniel Ezra Chronicles Job

What are the laws given at the time of Revelation and written down referred to?

The Written Law (Torah sh'bi'khtav)

What does Apocrypha refer to?

The books of the bible that did not make the final 'cut' to the Tanakh and thus they are apocryptien (from the Greek 'to hide away'). One such example is the book of Macabees.

The portion of Torah read each week in shul (synagogue)?

The parasha. There are 54 parshiyot total.

How many tractates (sections) of Gemara are there?

There are 63 tractates of Gemara.

What were the main tasks of the Great Assembly?

To get ready for a new era, the great assembly: Codified the Tanakh Instituted a system prayer Coordinated the Jewish calendar Established an educational system in the land of Israel.

What is the purpose of the Mishnah?

To help understand the Torah laws

To who did the Zugot teach the Oral Laws and its interpretations by the sages?

To the Tannaim

In the Tanakh, what does thet Ta - Torah refer to?

Torah - A Hebrew word meaning 'the teaching" and refers to the the Five Books of Moses

When was the Tanakh canonized (finalized)?

When something is canonzied it cannot be changed. According to Jewish tradition, the Torah was probably canonzied around 450 BCE. The Neviim probably around 330 BCE (time of Alexander the Great), and the Ketuvim around the time of the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 CE.