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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011
An easy-to-understand introduction to Judaism's most sacred text The foundation of Hebrew and Jewish religion, thought, law, and society is the Torah-the parchment scroll containing the text of the Five Books of Moses that is located in every synagogue. This accessible guide explains the Torah in clear language, even to those who were not raised in the Jewish religious tradition. Christians who want to know more about the Jewish roots of Christianity need to understand the Torah, as do followers of Islamic tradition and those interested in the roots of Abrahamic faiths. The Torah For Dummies explains the history of the Torah, its structure and major principles, and how the Torah affects the daily lives of people who follow the Jewish way of life.
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The Torah for Dummies
by Arthur Kurzweil
The Torah For Dummies®
Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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About the Author
Arthur Kurzweil is one of the most popular lecturers and teachers on the Torah, Talmud, Kabbalah, and other topics of Jewish interest in synagogues and at other Jewish gatherings across the United States and Canada. He is a direct descendant of Rabbi Chaim Yosef Gottlieb (1790–1867), Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (1555–1630), and Rabbi Moses Isserles (1530–1572), three illustrious and revered rabbis and teachers of the Torah.
Arthur is the author of Kabbalah For Dummies (Wiley) and On the Road with Rabbi Steinsaltz: 25 Years of Pre-Dawn Car Trips, Mind-Blowing Encounters, and Inspiring Conversations with a Man of Wisdom (Jossey-Bass). He’s also the author of the best-selling classic From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History (Jossey-Bass), coeditor of The Hadassah Jewish Family Book of Health and Wellness (Jossey-Bass), and editor of Best Jewish Writing 2003 (Jossey-Bass). He also wrote My Generations: A Course in Jewish Family History (Behrman House), which is used in synagogue schools across America.
Arthur is the recipient of the Distinguished Humanitarian Award from the Melton Center for Jewish Studies at The Ohio State University for his unique contributions to the field of Jewish education. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies for his trailblazing work in the field of Jewish genealogy.
A member of the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians, Arthur frequently performs his one-man show “Searching for God in a Magic Shop,” in which he blends the performance of magic tricks with a serious discussion of Jewish theological ideas. Arthur lives with his wife, Bobby, in a suburb of New York City.
Visit Arthur’s web site at www.arthurkurzweil.com
Dedication
For Bobby
“He must have loved me so muchto send me someone as fine as you.”
Author’s Acknowledgments
My goal in these acknowledgments is to recognize those people who have helped me, in many different ways, to think I’m qualified to write this book. Who am I to write a book on such a sacred subject as the Torah? And who helped me have the nerve to claim I have the qualifications? I think I know. But before I acknowledge them, I take full responsibility for this book. Any errors are mine.
Many years ago, when my children were young, I asked my teacher, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, for some advice: How do I teach my children the Torah? He told me to speak with them about the most difficult and abstract spiritual ideas I knew to exist. I took his advice, and the result has been extraordinary. For the past quarter of a century, I have had the deepest religious discussions, sharing amazing words of Torah with my three children. My decision to enroll my children full time in schools of Torah study (with full secular studies as well) created three knowledgeable Torah teachers surrounding me daily. The experience has been mind-blowing — for me. My Torah education has unfolded every day from the process of learning from my children, each of whom is my teacher. I have insisted upon it.
My greatest thanks, appreciation, love and gratitude go to:
Miriam Kurzweil: You will surely see how important your help with this book has been because there is clear evidence of your hard work, knowledge of the Torah, and eager, unfailing assistance on so many of these pages. I hope and pray you also know how precious, deep, intimate, and profound our countless hours of conversations have been to me over the years. You’re awesome.
Moshe Kurzweil: If I were asked 20 years ago to dream my wildest dreams and express what I would hope for in a son, I would have described the person you’ve become. You’re a spiritual searcher and teacher, kind and articulate, gentle, strong, and wise. You and I can speak about God forever. And I hope we will. As I write this, you are in the Holy Land for a year of advanced Torah study. Please keep teaching me.
Malya Kurzweil: As you know, when a question of Torah comes up among some of our family members, the first words spoken are, “Let’s ask Malya.” You have deservedly earned the reputation of having Torah knowledge that is broad and deep and so often profound. And you have proven to so many people that your talents as a teacher of Torah are on the highest level. How rare and priceless have your words of Torah been for me. You are a treasure.
Heartfelt thanks are also due to:
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz: You are the Light of our generation. I’m just one of so many who simply don’t know where we would be without you. If I have one wish for this book it is that its readers will seek out your books and learn from your endless wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
Saul Kurzweil: My extraordinary father. You personify the spirit of the Talmud. You were always in my mind as I wrote this book and as I tried to anticipate your rich flow of deep and important questions.
Evelyn Kurzweil: My beautiful mother. You personify the words of Hillel when he taught the essence of the Torah, and you are a role model of patience, kindness, empathy, and refinement. Your Hebrew name, Zisil, captures you perfectly.
My editors: Georgette Beatty, Mike Lewis, Elizabeth Rea, and Rabbi Alan Kay. Georgette, your firm and wise guidance, your delicious laughter, and your genuine warmth made the whole process an uplifting one. Mike, thank you for your vision and for your confidence in me. Elizabeth, every question, suggestion, and insight from you enhanced this book. Alan, it is no surprise that your participation inspired me to be more sensitive to others; you are a rare gem. Because I have been in the world of publishing for 30 years, I know the kind of magic that talented editors perform. The four of you are the best!
My editorial consultants: Rebecca Allen — If there’s an editorial job to do, you’re the one for me. Alan Zoldan — When I need creative help, you’re first on my list.
My ancestors: Rabbi Chaim Yosef Gottlieb (1790–1867), Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (1555–1630), Rabbi Moshe Isserles (1530–1572), Reb Avraham Abusch Kurzweil, Rabbi Shlomo Zalke Rosenvasser, Rabbi Asher Yeshia Gottlieb, Reb Yekutiel Yehudah (Zalman Leib) Gottlieb, and Reb Yehuda Yaakov Kurzweil. May your descendants continue to invest their lives in the study of Torah.
My teachers: Reb Shabtai Zisel ben Avraham Zimmerman of Hibbing, MN, Reb Eliezer Nehemiah HaCohen of Montreal, Ram Dass, Reb Eliezer ben Shlomo of Sighet, Rabbi Shlomo ben Benzion Halberstam (1907–2000), Rabbi Menachem Mendel ben Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (1902–1994), Rabbi Meshullam Zalman ben Shlomo HaKohen Schachter-Shalomi, Reb Yaakov Yehuda ben Yitzchak Zelig Halevi v’Yehudis Siegel, Yosef Puglisi HaMalamud HaGadol, and Rabbi Israel Nobel of East Meadow.
Ken Kurzweil: My brother and friend. You’re always there when I need you, with patience and endless support.
Ruth Rothwax: With my love and gratitude. Thanks for your belief in me and for the advice and support you always give freely.
My wife’s family, especially the inspirational Estelle and Eugene Ferkauf, Howie and Liz Kleinberg, Josh Kleinberg and Donna LaGatta, Gal Dor, and Orna Dor. Special thanks and heartfelt love to Rachel Dor: I will always be grateful for the very first moment we met, and I am truly impressed by your fertile mind, moved by your sweet soul, and inspired by your thirst for the delicious waters of Torah learning.
Rabbi Simcha Prombaum: Loving friend, gifted Torah teacher, and cherished advisor. I consult you almost daily on all things large and small.
Ed Rothfarb: In every way an artist, fellow seeker, loving friend for nearly 50 years. We went to Hebrew school together, walked to grade school together, and here we are, still celebrating life together and continuing to share our search for spiritual wisdom.
Richard Carlow: Source of infinite joy and delight, loving friend for over40 years. I can’t imagine life without you.
Robin Kahn Bauer: Loving and loyal friend, and fellow seeker for over 40 years.
Rick Blum: Loving friend, Torah buddy, and confidant for over 40 years. Your spiritual journey and love of Torah is a true inspiration to me.
Gary Eisenberg: My spiritual brother. No words can even begin. From the moment we met, it was love at first sight.
Marc Felix: Loving friend, joined at our soul’s root.
Marcia Cohen: Loving friend for over 45 years. You’ve taught me about spiritual devotion, crazy wisdom, and the pure joy of lifelong friendship.
Margy-Ruth Davis: Special friend, Jewish leader, and role model.
Zsuzsa Barta: Trusted friend and beautiful cousin. I knew you and began loving you the moment I met you on that train platform in Budapest.
Dr. Helen Hecht: Loving friend, gifted healer, extraordinary soul.
Reb Tuvia Frazer: Thank you for inviting me in.
Alan Rinzler: Friend, teacher, soul-brother.
Rashi and Shabbos, who sang as I wrote.
Bobby Dor Kurzweil: My wife, my life, my best friend and chevrusa.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and permitted us to reach this moment.
Arthur Kurzweil(Avraham Abba ben Chaim Shaul v’Zisil)Great Neck, New York, October 2007
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
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Contents
Title
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I : The Torah 101
Chapter 1: Beginning with Torah Basics
Introducing God, the Torah’s Author
Examining the Torah’s Important Elements
Taking One Torah Book at a Time
Living Life According to the Torah
Connecting the Torah to Judaism
Chapter 2: Encountering God, the Ultimate Author
Enter God, Stage Center: Creating a New World (And People to Fill It)
Calling God by Many Names in the Torah
Getting to Know the Nature of God through the Torah
Growing Closer to God with the Torah’s Help
Communicating Directly with God
Chapter 3: Examining the Treasures of the Torah
A Little History: Moses and the Torah
Understanding the Torah’s Structure
Getting a Grip on What the Torah Isn’t
Considering the Torah’s Commandments
Part II : One by One: The Books of the Torah
Chapter 4: “In the Beginning”: The Book of Genesis
Before You Begin: Approaching the Story of Creation
Get Going: God Creates the World
It Takes Two: Adam and Eve
Sibling Rivalry: Cain and Abel
When It Rains, It Pours: Noah and the Flood
Reach for the Sky: The Tower of Babel
Father Figure: The Story of Abraham
The Birth and Binding of Isaac
The Story of Jacob
Introducing Joseph, Jacob’s Favorite Son
Chapter 5: “These Are the Names”: The Book of Exodus
The Rise of a New Pharaoh and the Early Life of Moses
Get Moving! The Exodus from Egypt
What a Trip: Journeying through the Wilderness
Arriving at Mount Sinai
Aaron and the Incident of the Golden Calf
Building a Movable Worship Tent
Chapter 6: “And He Called”: The Book of Leviticus
Drawing Near to God: The Laws of Sacrifices
Surveying the Priestly Duties
The Laws of Purity and Impurity
Chapter 7: “In the Wilderness”: The Book of Numbers
Counting the Children of Israel
Looking at a Few Important Laws
Witnessing Some Wild Events in the Desert
Chapter 8: “Words”: The Book of Deuteronomy
The First Discourse of Moses
The Second Discourse of Moses
The Final Discourse of Moses
Part III : The Torah: An Operating Manual for Planet Earth
Chapter 9: Keeping Your Personal Behavior in Line with the Torah
Defining the Essence of the Torah
Be a Mentsch: Some Basic Torah Principles about Personal Behavior
Look Sharp! Dressing Appropriately
Everything Is Relative: The Torah’s Family Rules
All You Need Is (A Lot More than) Love: Treating Everyone Fairly
Showing Kindness to Furry Friends
Chapter 10: Living by the Word of the Torah in the Community
It’s Universal: The Seven Laws of the Sons of Noah
Doing Better Business
Property Rights: What’s Mine is Mine, What’s Yours Is Yours
Order in the Court — the Torah Way
Part IV : The Importance of the Torah in Judaism
Chapter 11: Observing the Holy Days in Torah Time
Breaking Down Time According to the Torah
Shabbat: Observing the Holiest of Holy Days
Celebrating Holy Days Appearing in the Torah
Chapter 12: Following Jewish Customs According to the Torah
Torah Traditions Related to the Cycle of Life
It’s a Sign! Surveying Some Well-Known Jewish Symbols
But Is It Kosher? Jewish Eating Practices
Chapter 13: Walking through the Torah Synagogue Service
Understanding the Basic Customs of Torah Readings
Preparing for the Torah Service
Taking the Torah Scroll from Its Holy Closet
Following the Torah Scroll Procession
Undressing the Torah Scroll
Receiving the Honor of Blessing the Holy Words
The Big Event: Reading the Torah Out Loud
Concluding the Torah Service
Chapter 14: The Final Commandment: Writing a Torah Scroll
God Said So! The Law behind Writing a Torah Scroll
Decisions, Decisions: Hiring a Scribe versus Completing a Torah Yourself
Understanding the Ground Rules of Torah Writing
Using the Right Torah Writing Supplies
A Little TLC: Proper Torah Care, Repair, and Burial
Chapter 15: Always Up for Discussion: Analyzing the Torah
Grasping the Infinite Possibilities of Interpreting the Torah
Entering the Garden of Torah Interpretation
Examining the “Bible Codes”: Are They Legit?
Chapter 16: Studying the Torah with Translations, Commentaries, and Other Resources
Reading a Translation of the Torah
Getting Help from Great Classic and Contemporary Commentators
Using Other Resources to Study the Torah
Part V : The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: The Ten Commandments According to the Torah
“I Am the Lord Your God . . .”
“You Shall Not Recognize Other Gods before Me . . .”
“You Shall Not Take the Name of the Lord Your God in Vain . . .”
“Remember the Sabbath Day, to Keep It Holy . . .”
“Honor Your Father and Your Mother . . .”
“You Shall Not Murder”
“You Shall Not Commit Adultery”
“You Shall Not Steal”
“You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbor”
“You Shall Not Covet Your Neighbor’s House . . .”
Chapter 18: Ten Frequently Misunderstood Quotes from the Torah
“And God Said, Let Us Make Man in Our Image, after Our Likeness”
“Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”
“Two by Two They Came to Noah into the Ark, Male and Female”
“God Is a Man of War”
“An Eye for Eye, a Tooth for Tooth . . .”
“You Shall Not Lie with a Man as with a Woman: It Is an Abomination”
“You Shall Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”
“For the Lord Thy God Is a Jealous God”
“For You Are a People Holy to the Lord Your God . . .”
“You Must Not Make Your Brother Pay Interest . . .”
Part VI : Appendixes
Appendix A: A Glossary of Torah Terms and Names
Appendix B: The 248 Positive Commandments in the Torah
Relating to God
The Torah
The Symbols and Signs of Judaism
Prayers
Love and Human Relations
The Poor and Unfortunate
The Treatment of Non–Family Members
Marriage, Divorce, and Family
Holy Days, Times, and Seasons
Dietary Laws
Business Practices
The Treatment of Employees, Servants, and Slaves
Promises, Vows, and Oaths
The Sabbatical and Jubilee Years
The Courts and Court Procedures
Injuries and Damages
Property and Related Rights
Punishment and Restitution
Prophecy
Idolatry
Agriculture
The Firstborn
The Priesthood and Holy Temple Workers
Tithes and Taxes
The Temple, the Sanctuary, and Sacred Objects
Offerings and Sacrifices
Ritual Purity and Impurity
Lepers and Leprosy
The King
Nazarites
Wars
Appendix C: The 365 Negative Commandments in the Torah
Relating to God
Prayers
Love and Human Relations
The Poor and Unfortunate
The Treatment of Non–Family Members
Marriage, Divorce, and Family
Forbidden Sexual Relations
Holy Days, Times, and Seasons
Dietary Laws
Business Practices
The Treatment of Employees, Servants, and Slaves
Promises, Vows, and Oaths
The Sabbatical and Jubilee Years
The Courts and Court Procedures
Injuries and Damages
Property and Related Rights
Criminal Laws
Punishment and Restitution
Prophecy
Idolatry
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Clothing
The Firstborn
The Priesthood and Holy Temple Workers
Tithes and Taxes
The Temple, the Sanctuary, and Sacred Objects
Offerings and Sacrifices
Lepers and Leprosy
The King
Nazarites
Wars
Introduction
The Torah is both the most sacred object and the most sacred text in Judaism. It consists of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The word “Torah” comes from the same root as the Hebrew word hora’ah (hoe-rah-ah), which means “instruction” or “teaching.” The Torah’s purpose, simply stated, is to provide people with instructions for finding and following the path of God and the path to God.
Although the words in the Torah, which is also known as the Five Books of Moses, consists of exactly 304,805 letters, the great sages of Jewish tradition teach that all the wisdom in the universe is hidden within these letters. Jewish tradition looks carefully at these letters and at the words they form, and great sages throughout history have provided — and continue to provide — the proper instruction for analyzing the Torah text and revealing its divine messages.
As my teacher, the renowned Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz of Jerusalem, has said, “Other religions have a concept of scripture as deriving from Heaven, but only Judaism seems to be based on the idea that the Torah Scripture is itself Heaven. In other words, the Torah of the Jews is the essence of divine revelation; it is not only a basis for social, political, and religious life but is something of supreme value.”
When you study the Torah, you aren’t just studying the word of God. According to Jewish belief, Torah study is actually an authentic encounter with God. The Torah can be viewed as a collection of concentrated emanations and transmutations of divine wisdom. I’m a Jew who studies the Torah in one form or another every day. I’ve been studying the Torah for nearly 40 years, and I’ve come to believe that the Torah is the most profound collection of wisdom and guidance I’ve ever encountered.
About This Book
It’s essential to know that you can’t understand the Five Books of Moses simply by reading it like a storybook. A core belief among the Jewish people is that when Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai and received the Torah, he actually received two Torahs — one written and one oral. The two parts together make up what the Jewish people consider to be the Torah.
The relationship between the Written Torah and the Oral Torah has often been compared to the relationship between the United States Constitution on the one hand and both federal and state legislation as well as the decisions of the Supreme Court on the other hand. The written Constitution contains basic principles, but it’s the legislation and court decisions that expand upon these principles and give them life. Jewish tradition teaches that the Oral Torah works in much the same way, expanding upon the basic written principles of the Five Books of Moses. These basic principles are constantly being applied to new situations as human history unfolds.
In The Torah For Dummies, I explain how both aspects of the Torah work together to form an operating manual for life. Like all For Dummies books, you don’t need to read The Torah For Dummies from cover to cover. Each chapter is self-contained. I’ve constructed each section so that you can flip through the book, find something of interest, and read it without needing to know what the other chapters say. I’ve written this book in plain, down-to-earth language, and if I need to mention an essential technical or foreign word or phrase, I make sure to define it the first time I use it.
Even though the Torah is deep and profound, Jewish tradition teaches that the Torah is written in the language of humans and is meant to be accessible and understandable. I’ve made sure that my explanations and descriptions of the Torah and its contents resulted in a plain-language reference book that will serve you well, even if you have had absolutely no prior experience or familiarity with the Torah.
My goal in writing The Torah For Dummies is to introduce you to the Torah, its structure, its contents, and its significance in Jewish life. I also want you to understand how the ideas in the Torah provide the basis of Western civilization and the foundations of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Conventions Used in This Book
Because the Torah is a vast subject with so many parts, qualities, aspects, and subjects, I had to establish a few conventions while writing to make the subject as clear and understandable as possible. As you read The Torah For Dummies, please keep in mind my conventions regarding the following:
The word “Torah”: Don’t jump too quickly to define the word “Torah.” It has abstract connotations as well as very specific usages. For the most part, when I use the word in this book, I’m referring to the Five Books of Moses. But as you will find out, “Torah” also refers to the oral tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation ever since Moses encountered God at Mount Sinai. In addition, the word “Torah” refers to the entire body of Jewish teachings.
References to God: Although the Five Books of Moses refers to God using male pronouns like “He” and “Him,” in principle God has no gender and is beyond anything the human mind can grasp on any level. Occasionally, I refer to God using male pronouns for simplicity’s sake, but I try to avoid this as much as possible.
Pronunciation of Hebrew words: Many Hebrew words and phrases appear throughout this book in boldface text, and because not everyone’s familiar with the language, I offer pronunciation help. The syllable that receives the accent is always in italics. But you should be aware that there are two ways to pronounce many Hebrew words:
• Ashkenazic: This is the Central and Eastern European pronunciation that’s used in most, but not all, Orthodox synagogues. An example is Shabbos (shah-bus; Sabbath), with the accent on the first syllable.
• Sephardic: This is the modern Israeli pronunciation that’s used in most liberal synagogues and some Orthodox synagogues in the United States. An example is Shabbat (shah-baht; Sabbath), with the accent on the second syllable.
In this book, I mostly use the transliteration and pronunciation commonly used in Israel, but sometimes I give the Ashkenazic pronunciation, especially if it has become common usage.
The names of the Five Books of Moses: I use the common names for each of the Five Books of Moses. For example, the first book, Genesis, is actually called Bereshit (beh-ray-sheet) in Hebrew and in Jewish tradition. Even though I would love for you to know the “real” names of each book, I’ve come to the conclusion that using the common names is more useful, especially for a beginner.
Sages, commentators, and rabbis: Throughout this book, I use these terms interchangeably. The term “sage” is a common one in Jewish life and generally refers to any highly regarded Torah teacher. By definition, someone whose commentaries on the Torah have come to be accepted among traditional Jews throughout history is known as a sage. Occasionally, I refer to “the rabbis.” What I mean by that isn’t simply anyone who happens to be a rabbi but rather those rabbis who have earned reputations asluminaries among the Jewish people.
English translations of verses from the Torah: The Torah is written in Hebrew; the English translations appearing in this book are mine, but I want you to know that I’m quite familiar with all the available English translations of the Torah and I’ve often borrowed phrases from them. Generally, my translations are composites of all the available English translations as well as my own translations, and my decisions are based on my judgments as to what’s the clearest and most understandable language to modern English-speaking readers.
Jewish observance: This book is not a guide to Jewish religious observance. If you’re interested in following the teachings of the Torah, there are many books available specifically to help you with that. The best way to learn how to live a religious Jewish life is to find a qualified rabbi or teacher who can direct you in the process of learning the way of the Torah.
What You’re Not to Read
If you have the time and inclination to read this book from cover to cover, by all means, get to it! However, if you’re only looking for the most helpful, most essential facts and explanations, you can skip the sidebars, which appear in shaded gray boxes throughout this book. They’re interesting (I hope!) anecdotes and pieces of information that supplement the text but aren’t essential for an understanding of the topics being explored.
Foolish Assumptions
When writing this book, I had to make some assumptions about you. First of all, I don’t assume that you’re Jewish, nor do I assume that you want to be. And although the Torah is just as much about spiritual practice as it is about general spiritual ideas, I don’t assume that you want to adopt every practice, custom, and ritual, nor do I assume that you necessarily agree with all the theological assumptions found in the Torah.
Following are some additional assumptions I’ve made. If you fit into any of these categories, this book is for you:
You’ve heard about the Torah and are curious about it because you know that it’s the central book and foundation of Judaism.
You know that both Christianity and Islam have their roots in Judaism and the Torah, and you’re interested in understanding those roots.
You have some familiarity with the Bible and know some of its contents (like Noah’s Ark and the Ten Commandments), but you still want more.
You’re a spiritual seeker, and you’ve heard that the Torah is the cornerstone of the Jewish path and the hiding place of all the secrets of Kabbalah.
You’re Jewish but realize that you never received a good Jewish education or you want to supplement, enrich, broaden, and expand your Jewish knowledge.
You’re not Jewish, but you’d like to understand more about Jewish life, including that of your Jewish friends and neighbors.
You’ve attended a synagogue service and have witnessed the reverence that the Jewish people give to the Torah, and you’d like to know more about it.
You’ve seen popular films like The Ten Commandments and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and you’re curious about the contexts of those films.
You’ve seen a lot of Christian preachers on television quoting from and explaining the Torah from their points of view, but you’d like to know how Judaism understands its holy book.
How This Book Is Organized
I’ve organized this book so that you can skip around easily. In order to help you get in, get the information you need, and get out without reading cover to cover, I divided the book into parts that give you one piece of the Torah picture at a time.
Part I: The Torah 101
This part provides you with the basics. You get an overview of the entire subject, in particular the major sections of the Torah as well as some of its most important ideas and concepts. I introduce the main “character” of the Torah — God. There’s a lot to say about God, even though, by definition, it’s impossible for humans to grasp God. But once you understand the paradox that the Torah expects you to establish an intimate, personal relationship with a God whom you can’t conceive of, you begin to understand that God is the basis of everything. And because the Torah is often profoundly misunderstood, I also explore what the Torah isn’t in this part.
Part II: One by One: The Books of the Torah
The Five Books of Moses consists of, well, five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In this part, I walk you through each of the five books, one by one, summarizing the major events and concepts appearing in each. After reading each chapter in this part, you should have a pretty good idea of the books’ contents, from stories you didn’t know of to ones that sound familiar (like the splitting of the Red Sea or the giving of the Ten Commandments). I’ll warn you now that you may end up saying to yourself, “Oh, so that’s where that comes from!”
Part III: The Torah: An Operating Manual for Planet Earth
Even though the Torah has a lot to say about spiritual topics like God, faith, good and evil, and angels, it’s a book of action. Its emphasis is on the world in which people live and function. In this part, I show you how the Torah concerns itself with personal behavior, like honoring parents, giving charity, treating animals with kindness, and just about every personal human activity. I also show you how the Torah has an equal concern for behavior in communal affairs, like the court system, employee/employer relations, and property rights.
Part IV: The Importance of the Torah in Judaism
The Torah scroll is the most sacred object in Jewish life. In this part, I show you how the contents of the Torah form the basis for Jewish holy days and Jewish customs and practices (like eating kosher food), and the way in which the Torah scroll is used during synagogue services. According to Jewish tradition, every Jewish person must either write a Torah scroll or support those who do, so in this part, I provide you with the details of how a Torah scroll is written. Finally, every Jewish person is required to study the Torah, so I describe just how this is done and provide you with some suggestions if you want to participate in the study of the Torah.
Part V: The Part of Tens
Every For Dummies book has a Part of Tens. One natural list of ten items relating to the Torah is the Ten Commandments. But it’s not so simple: Not only are there two versions of the Ten Commandments in the Torah, but different groups of Christians even count them differently! Another group of ten that I give you in this part is ten famous (and often misunderstood) quotations from the Torah, many of which you’ll know.
Part VI: Appendixes
In this part, I include a glossary of terms that you should know for a basic vocabulary about the Torah. And last but not least, I give you a list of the 613 commandments found in the Torah, broken down into positive commandments (what you should do) and negative commandments (what you shouldn’t do).
Icons Used in This Book
All For Dummies books feature icons (little pictures that grab your attention) in the margins to serve you well. Think of them as road signs pointing to different kinds of information in the chapters.
This icon alerts you to ideas and concepts that my Torah teachers have given me over the years.
This icon alerts you to concepts, terms, and ideas in the Torah that are of particular importance. Keep the points marked with this icon in mind, and you can’t go wrong.
This icon points out helpful information that you can use if you make the Torah a part of your life.
This icon points to misconceptions about the Torah or actions that are strictly forbidden by the Torah. Read this information carefully!
This icon highlights instances when I quote directly from the Torah or some other important Jewish source, often from some of the great sages of Jewish history.
Where to Go from Here
You can begin this book wherever you like. But you may want to start with the following suggestions:
If you’re interested in all 613 commandments in the Torah, go to Appendixes B and C.
If you want to get a good overview of each of the Five Books of Moses, read Part II.
If you want to put the Torah’s basic principles into practice immediately, read Chapters 9 and 10.
No matter where you start, I can’t deny that I’m excited for you. The Torah is awesome. There’s a blessing that Jews have said for centuries before studying the Torah as a way of offering thanks to God; the blessing is this: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has sanctified us by Your commandments and has commanded us to get involved with the words of the Torah.” This blessing doesn’t require you to obey the Torah, believe in the Torah, or follow the Torah. It simply says to “get involved with its words.” I hope you do.
Part I
The Torah 101
In this part . . .
Even though you can begin reading any chapter in this book first, you may want to get some of the basics under your belt. In this part, I cover some of the fundamental elements found in the Torah itself, such as its setup and laws. I also give you a quick overview of the contents of the Five Books of Moses. Perhaps most importantly I devote an entire chapter to God, who is the ultimate author of the Torah; in fact, God is the author of the universe and everything that exists.
Chapter 1
Beginning with Torah Basics
In This Chapter
Meeting the Torah’s author — God
Discovering the most important elements of the Torah
Glimpsing each of the Five Books of Moses
Understanding how to live a righteous life according to the Torah
Seeing how the Torah guides the lives of the Jewish people
The Torah, also known as the Five Books of Moses, is the most sacred object and the most important text of the Jewish people. As a sacred scroll found in every synagogue throughout the world, it’s referred to as a sefer Torah (say-fehr toe-rah; Torah scroll); as a bound book, it’s referred to as a chumash (khuh-mahsh; five).
The Torah is more than a text, though; it’s also the spiritual tradition of the Jewish people, communicated by God (the Creator and Master of the universe) to Moses (the greatest prophet of the Jewish people) on Mount Sinai in 1280 BCE and handed down from generation to generation.
You can understand the word “Torah” in a third way as well. Torah is the vast and constantly growing body of teachings and wisdom of Judaism, and in this sense it even includes what a qualified Jewish teacher will teach tomorrow. The “study of Torah” is not necessarily the same as the “study of the Torah.” “The Torah” usually means the Written Torah, the Five Books of Moses, whereas “Torah” is Torah studies in the more general sense.
In this chapter, I introduce you to various aspects of the Torah, such as its structure, teachings, and study. I invite you to explore this chapter and discover some basics about this unique document of documents that has taught the world about charity; love; the importance of educating children; honesty in the marketplace; the concepts of bankruptcy, courts, and witnesses; and so many other aspects of modern experience that are embedded into the fabric of our lives.
Introducing God, the Torah’s Author
Even though the Torah is mainly about God, it’s also important to remember that the Torah’s author is God. Although the first line of the Torah says, “In the beginning of God’s creation of heaven and earth . . .,” it’s God who is speaking. God chose Moses to receive and write down a divine message, which is why the Torah is also known as the Five Books of Moses, but the Torah emanates from God. God reaches into the human world with the Torah.
Jewish tradition teaches that God didn’t create the world out of nothing. God’s creation is an emanation of divine light that God sculpted into all that exists. God is not just “in” everything. Rather, everything is God. This is, of course, a paradox. On the one hand, people live their lives feeling separate from God, but at the same time, Jewish tradition teaches that on the deepest level everything is God.
In studying the Torah, you’ll often encounter paradoxes. Many spiritual teachers teach that when you encounter a paradox, it usually means that you’re going in the right direction. The endless struggle to grasp and understand what is meant by God is both the most important activity of life and, at the same time, an impossible task. The study of Torah is the way in which Jews participate in this paradoxical struggle. Some of the ideas that students of the Torah struggle with include:
Humans are created in God’s image.
God has many names, but no name can possibly be adequate.
God exists.
God has no gender.
God is unique; nothing is like God is any way.
God is everywhere.
God is, was, and will be; God transcends time.
God is beyond human comprehension.
The Torah is mainly God’s communication to people about how to behave. Most of the Torah is directed toward the Jewish people, although it also contains instructions for all other peoples of the world. But for reasons that only God knows, the Jewish people are given extra burdens and responsibilities. God chose the Jewish people, but in no way does this status of being chosen by God imply superiority.
People have responsibilities to God and to each other, and the Torah is filled with instructions about how to fulfill both (see the later section “Living Life According to the Torah” for more about people’s responsibilities to each other). Regarding a person’s relationship to God, the Torah stresses
Connecting with God through God’s commandments
Having faith in God
Maintaining trust in God
Accepting direction from God
Understanding that God directs everything that occurs
Struggling to comprehend God
Communicating with God through prayer
See Chapter 2 for more information about God, the ultimate author.
Examining the Torah’s Important Elements
Jewish tradition maintains that the Five Books of Moses contains everything. Yes, everything. Although the Torah is a religious document, it isn’t a collection of abstractions in spiritual language. Rather, it uses concrete descriptions in the form of laws and stories to express abstract notions. The Torah also deals with all aspects of life, from business, agriculture, and industry to family life, sexuality, and ritual. The Torah directs human conduct in all its aspects. It urges followers to see the whole world as a Holy Temple in which each student functions as a priest whose job it is to constantly purify and sanctify the entirety of life.
The Torah consists of two parts: One is written and the other is oral. Flip to Chapter 3 for a full introduction to the treasures of the Torah.
The Written Torah
As the Torah describes, Moses was the greatest teacher and prophet who ever lived. It’s important, however, to always keep in mind that Moses wasn’t a perfect being. He had the noble attribute of humility, although he was also self-effacing sometimes, and he didn’t always do the right thing. As my teacher has often said, “In Judaism, there are no plastic saints.”
At Mount Sinai, Moses encountered God in an intimate way unlike anyone before or since, and Moses wrote down what God told him to write. The result was the Five Books of Moses. It is these five books that are the main focus of The Torah For Dummies. Table 1-1 shows you the names of the Five Books of Moses, which come from Greek because a few thousand years ago the Torah was translated into that language. The table also gives you the Hebrew names of the books and their translations.
The Torah isn’t the Bible. The Jewish Bible is the book that Christians call the Old Testament, and the Five Books of Moses are the first five sections of the Jewish Bible. The other sections are the books of the Prophets (of which there are eight) and the books of other sacred writings (of which there are 11). In all, there are 24 books in the Jewish Bible, also often referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Oral Torah
When Moses encountered God and received God’s message, the divine transmission included oral teachings that were never meant to be written down. An oral tradition allows for flexibility; too often when an oral teaching is written down, it’s taken too literally and loses its power to adapt to changing times and circumstances. It was only after much debate and discussion that the great sages of the Jewish people decided to write down the oral teachings in a process that began a few thousand years ago. This compromise was based on the historical fact that the enemies of the Jewish people were killing so many of the Children of Israel and the sacred traditions were at a great risk of being lost.
The major elements of the Oral Torah include
The Mishnah (mish-nah; repetition): A book consisting of six sections, written in Hebrew, that serve as a summary of the oral teachings as handed down by Moses, along with the Written Torah, to the elders of the Jewish people.
The Gemara (geh-mah-rah; completion): Additions, written mostly in Aramaic, that serve to analyze the Mishnah, define its fine points, and also illustrate how the Five Books of Moses and the Mishnah are applied to the ever-changing conditions of life.
The Mishnah and the Gemara appear together in the Talmud (tahl-mood; learning), which is a set of books consisting of 63 sections and also includes additional commentaries by great teachers throughout the centuries.
The Midrash (mid-rahsh; interpretation): A few dozen books written over a number of centuries that serve to expand upon the details found in the Five Books of Moses and other books of the Jewish Bible. The various collections of Midrashim (plural for Midrash) teach both divine moral lessons and divine laws.
Halachah (ha-lah-khah; the way to walk): The term for Jewish law. Jewish laws are either positive (“do this”) or negative (“don’t do this”), and 613 of them are traditionally found in the Five Books of Moses (see Appendixes B and C for the full list). This number is deceptive because there are actually thousands of Jewish teachings that grow out of the primary 613 commandments in the Torah.
Taking One Torah Book at a Time
There’s an ancient Jewish tradition that the entire Five Books of Moses is actually one long name of God. The Written Torah is also traditionally seen as five separate books, each with its own character and content. The following are the Five Books of Moses, which I cover in detail in Part II:
Genesis: The book of Genesis focuses on the creation of the universe and the creation of the Jewish family, starting with Adam and Eve, Noah, his son Shem, and ultimately with the patriarch Abraham and matriarch Sarah. The book is filled with many dramas involving the individuals who form the foundation of the Jewish people, most notably Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, and Joseph.
Exodus: The book of Exodus essentially tells the story of the Jewish people’s experience of slavery in Egypt and ultimate liberation under the leadership of Moses and his brother Aaron. This book also describes Moses’s encounters with God and the receiving of the divine transmission called the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Leviticus: This book of the Torah contains the least amount of narrative among the five. Rather, it’s concerned with the rules and functions of a branch of the Jewish family that serves a unique priestly role within Judaism; it’s also filled with laws, rules, and regulations of a wide variety.
Numbers: The book of Numbers largely concerns itself with the 40-year journey through the desert, from Egypt to the Promised Land (Israel), taken by the Children of Israel. Earlier in the Torah, God promises the Land of Israel to Abraham, and it’s Moses’s mission to lead the freed slaves — who are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — to the Promised Land. The book of Numbers provides details of many of their encounters and experiences in the desert and also includes many of the laws incumbent upon the Jewish people.
Deuteronomy: The book of Deuteronomy is largely Moses’s farewell address to his people. In this book, Moses recounts many of the key experiences of the Jewish people after their liberation from Egypt. He also takes the opportunity to repeat many teachings contained in the first four books of the Written Torah. This book ends with the death of Moses.
Living Life According to the Torah
The Torah is God’s instruction book to humankind. For practical purposes, you can see these instructions as two different yet overlapping types: One is the instructions by God about how people should behave as individuals on a personal level, and the other is how people should behave in a community.
Watching your personal behavior
The Torah’s instructions to people about personal behavior are based on the assumption that the details are what matters. Sure, it’s lovely to say that people should be nice to each other and should love each other, but it has been proven again and again that lofty generalizations like “Be nice” or “Be fair” are never enough. The trend in the Torah is to add details rather than to make broad, sweeping statements. Without specific instructions to follow, people all too often don’t really get the picture or behave as they’re supposed to. The Written and Oral Torahs together show how the highest, deepest, and most profound ideals from God are applied to the ever-changing circumstances of life.
Head to Chapter 9 for more information on keeping your personal behavior in line with the Torah, including tips on treating both your family and strangers kindly.
Playing well with others in the community
The great American poet Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors.” This is a terrific summary of the way in which the Torah concerns itself with communal behavior. As with the Torah’s teachings about personal behavior, the details are what matters. While some of the general principles can be summarized as “Be honest,” “Be compassionate,” “Be a good boss,” and “Be a good citizen,” it’s not enough to give sweet, abstract instructions on how people in a community should behave toward one another. Good rules, good definitions, and good fences serve a community well. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah go into minute detail on the main principles, covering just about every conceivable situation in community life.
Check out Chapter 10 for details on living by the word of the Torah in the community, including information on doing better business, dealing with property rights, and keeping order in the court.
Connecting the Torah to Judaism
The way of Judaism as a spiritual tradition is the way of Torah. The Torah is the link between God and the Jewish people. Jewish belief, Jewish law, Jewish practice, Jewish customs, Jewish holy days, and Jewish values all grow out of the Torah, as you find out in the following sections.
Taking note of the holiness of time
The great Jewish sages teach that it’s possible to connect with holiness (which means connecting with God) in three ways: the holiness of space, the holiness of the human soul, and the holiness of time:
The holiness of space focuses on a spot in Jerusalem known as the Holy of Holies; it’s surrounded by the Holy Temple. The Holy Temple is situated in the Holy City of Jerusalem, and the Holy City is in the Holy Land of Israel. An example of a constant recognition of the holiness of space is that the Torah instructs Jews throughout the world to face Jerusalem during the three daily prayer sessions.
The holiness of the human soul implies that the human soul can refine itself and make itself holy through the holy behavior as instructed by the Torah.
The holiness of time is expressed through special rituals and prayers that are recited at special times and occasions. The Torah instructs the Jewish people that one of the best ways to connect with God is to observe the commandments that guide them through the various units of time.
The Jewish sages teach that the Torah concerns itself with every moment of life: from the moment of birth to the moment of death, and from the moment you wake until the moment you sleep. Just as God is everywhere in space, so too is God everywhere in time. The Torah instructs its students regarding
The day (three prayer sessions and other daily requirements)
The week (the six working days and the Holy Sabbath)
The month (the observation of the new moon each month)
The year (many holy days that appear throughout the annual Jewish calendar and are detailed in the Torah)
Chapter 11 has the complete scoop on observing holy days in Torah time.
Following Jewish customs
The Written Torah and the Oral Torah have a lot to say about how Jewish people should conduct themselves throughout each important stage of life, as shown in Table 1-2.
The Torah also has a lot to say to the Jewish people regarding all aspects of life, including
The use of symbols in Judaism, such as
• Mezuzah (a sign on the doorpost of every Jewish home)
• Tzitzit (a sign on the corners of clothes that some Jews wear)
• Tefillin (a sign that actually wraps itself around your head and arm)
The way to eat (eating according to the kosher laws is explained in great detail)
Go to Chapter 12 for more instruction on following Jewish customs according to the Torah.
Witnessing a Torah synagogue service
The best way to understand how the Jewish people revere the Torah is to watch or participate in the weekly Torah service held on Shabbat (Saturday) in the synagogue; I walk you through this service in Chapter 13. The elaborate ritual and public reading of the Torah is filled with solemnity, joy, reverence, and formality. The Torah resides in a special — and usually beautiful — closet found in every synagogue sanctuary. The Torah, in the form of a scroll, starts out literally dressed in the finest royal attire and then is undressed, studied, read aloud, and redressed with the utmost care and devotion.
Since ancient times, the Torah has been read publicly each week on Shabbat. This custom certainly served the Jewish people well when printed copies weren’t common like they are today, and the communal gathering of Jews to hear the words of the holy Torah continues to be an emotional high point for Jewish people throughout the world. The Five Books of Moses is divided into weekly sections, and every synagogue community reads the same section each week. The entire Torah is read in the course of one year. On the Jewish holy day of Simchat Torah (sim-kaht toe-rah; the joy of the Torah), the last sentences are read and the first sentences begin the round of the year once again.
Writing a Torah scroll
The Five Books of Moses actually comes in two formats:
A handwritten scroll on parchment, essential for use in the synagogue service
A book printed on a printing press and readily available to the masses
According to the Torah, it’s the responsibility of each Jewish person to handwrite a Torah scroll. Because the task is so difficult, not to mention time-consuming, Jewish law is lenient and permits you to fulfill this commandment in a number of ways, including providing financial support to qualified scribes. Some authorities say that you can also fulfill this commandment by buying books about the Torah. So purchasing The Torah For Dummies means that you’ve already begun to fulfill one of the Torah’s commandments!
Flip to Chapter 14 for more information about the commandment of writing a Torah scroll.
Analyzing and studying the Torah all your life
Throughout the ages it has been frequently said that the most important activity in all Jewish life is the study of the Torah, which is the subject of Chapter 15. Many statements in Jewish holy texts support the notion that Torah study throughout a lifetime is of supreme value. Here are a few from the Talmud:
In the same way that it’s essential to feed a child, it’s essential for the Jewish people to study the Torah.
A single day of Torah study is more important than 1,000 sacrifices in the Holy Temple.
God cries over people who are able but nevertheless neglect Torah study.
God studies the Torah every day.
Non-Jews who study the Torah to learn of their obligations are as great as the High Priest in the Holy Temple.
Jewish tradition considers every letter, word, line, story, and detail of the Written Torah to be of divine origin and therefore containing an infinity of meanings. In principle, it’s impossible to say that any one line, story, or book of the Torah means only one thing. There are levels upon levels of meaning in every tiny detail of the Written Torah.
In principle, it’s assumed that everybody hears the Torah differently. This doesn’t mean that Torah study is a free-for-all where every and any interpretation is always correct. But as my teacher says, each person has a personal relationship with God, and that relationship is a completely private affair. You can and should work with a Torah teacher and try to understand the Torah through the commentaries of the great sages, but in the final analysis, you have to trust yourself and make your own decisions. As one tradition states, each of us is a letter in the Torah, and each of us must find our letter.
Although the Written Torah is in Hebrew and the Oral Torah is mostly in Aramaic, the good news is that there are lots of English translations of the Five Books of Moses and also English translations of the commentaries that are essential to arriving at a more complete understanding of the Torah (as you find out in Chapter 16). Jewish life is an immersion into the Torah and into the literature that the Torah has inspired. My home library is filled with a few thousand books (literally) on the Torah. The Torah For Dummies is one more book for that ever-growing Torah library. In fact, this book is designed to be a doorway that opens into a vast garden of profound Torah knowledge.
A well-known statement in the Oral Torah summarizes the importance of Torah study:
Rabbi Tarfon used to say: You are not required to complete the task, but neither are you free to withdraw from it. If you have learned a lot of Torah, much reward has been prepared for you, and your Employer can be trusted to compensate you for your labor. But know that the reward of the righteous is reserved for the World to Come.
Mishnah, Ethics of the Fathers 2:21
