Rabbinic Judaism holds that the books of the Tanakh (The Old Testament) were transmitted in parallel with an oral tradition, as relayed by the scholarly and other religious leaders of each generation. The "written law" (Torah she-bi-khtav תורה שבכתב) comprises the Torah and the rest of the Tanakh; the "Oral Law" (Torah she-be'al peh תורה שבעל תורה) was ultimately recorded in the Talmud and Midrash. The interpretation of the Oral Law is thus considered as the authoritative reading of the Written Law. Further ...

See also:

Oral law, Oral law - Oral law in jurisprudence, Oral law - Oral law in Judaism

Read more here: » Oral law: Encyclopedia II - Oral law - Oral law in Judaism

See also:

Oral law, Oral law - Oral law in jurisprudence, Oral law - Oral law in Judaism

Read more here: » Oral law: Encyclopedia II - Oral law - Oral law in jurisprudence

Orthodox Judaism holds that the Torah has been transmitted in parallel with an oral tradition. They point to the text of the Torah, where they believe many words are left undefined, and many procedures mentioned without explanation or instructions; they believe the reader is assumed to be familiar with the details from other, oral, sources. This parallel set of material was originally transmitted orally, and came to be known as the oral law. At the time, it was forbidden to write and publish the Oral Law, as any writing would be incom ...

See also:

Torah, Torah - Structure, Torah - Production and usage of a Torah scroll, Torah - The Torah as the core of Judaism, Torah - The Torah and the oral law, Torah - Other views of the Torah

Read more here: » Torah: Encyclopedia II - Torah - The Torah and the oral law

Baraita (Aramaic ברייתא: "external", "outside"; pl. Baraitot. Also Baraitha, Beraita ) designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law not incorporated in the Mishnah. "Baraita" thus refers to teachings "outside" of the six orders of the Mishnah. Originally, "Baraita" probably referred to teachings from schools outside of the main Mishnaic-era academies - although in later collections, individual Baraitot are often aut ...

Read more here: » Baraita: Encyclopedia - Baraita

The Tosefta is a second compilation of oral law from the period of the Mishnah. In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah (tosefta means "supplement"). The Mishnah is the basic compilation of the Oral law of Judaism; it was compiled around 200 CE. It is a Halakhic work which corresponds in structure almost exactly to the Mishnah, with the same divisions for sedarim ("orders") and masekhot ("tractates"). It is mainly ...

Including:

• Tosefta - Orthodox scholars
• Tosefta - Non-Orthodox scholars
• Tosefta - External link

Read more here: » Tosefta: Encyclopedia - Tosefta

Torah (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning "teaching," "instruction," or "law." It is the central and most important document of Judaism revered by Jews through the ages. Torah primarily refers to the first section of the Tanakh–the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, but the term is sometimes also used in the general sense to also include both of Judaism's written law and oral law, encompassing the entire spectrum of authoritative Jewish religious teachings throughout history, including the ...

Including:

• Torah - Structure
• Torah - Production and usage of a Torah scroll
• Torah - The Torah as the core of Judaism
• Torah - The Torah and the oral law
• Torah - Other views of the Torah
• Torah - External link

Read more here: » Torah: Encyclopedia - Torah

Aggadah ( Aramaic אגדה: tales, lore; pl. Aggadot ) refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic texts in classical rabbinic literature - particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash. Other terms for this body of teachings are Aggadata (אגדתא) lit.“the” aggada, and the Hebrew Haggadah (הגדה; pl. Haggadot). In general, the aggadot are presented as folklore, historical anecdotes, moral exhortations, and business and medical advice, and often refer to mythical creatures, and incredible hist ...

Including:

• Aggadah - As part of the Jewish oral law
• Aggadah - Literal-allegorical teachings
• Aggadah - Interpretation of the Aggadah
• Aggadah - In the Talmud and Midrash
• Aggadah - Development of the Aggadah
• Aggadah - Exegetic and Homiletic Aggadah
• Aggadah - Aggadah compilations

Read more here: » Aggadah: Encyclopedia - Aggadah

Karaite Judaism is a Jewish denomination characterized by reliance on the Tanakh as the sole scripture, and rejection of the Oral Law (the Mishnah and the Talmud) as halakha (Legally Binding, i.e. required religious practice). The word "Karaite" comes from the Hebrew word קְרָאִים (Standard Hebrew Qəraʾim; Tiberian Hebrew Qərāʾîm), meaning "Readers (of Scripture)". This name was chosen by the adherents of Karaite Judaism to distingu ...

Including:

• Karaite Judaism - Karaite beliefs
• Karaite Judaism - Karaites and the Rabbinic Oral law
• Karaite Judaism - Rabbinic opinions
• Karaite Judaism - The Calendar
• Karaite Judaism - The Sabbath
• Karaite Judaism - Tzitzit
• Karaite Judaism - Tefillin
• Karaite Judaism - Mezuzot
• Karaite Judaism - History of Karaism
• Karaite Judaism - The Golden Age of Karaism
• Karaite Judaism - Russian Karaites
• Karaite Judaism - Crimean and Lithuanian Karaites
• Karaite Judaism - Spanish Karaites
• Karaite Judaism - The Karaites today
• Karaite Judaism - Karaite writings

Read more here: » Karaite Judaism: Encyclopedia - Karaite Judaism

Reform Judaism can refer to (1) the largest denomination of Judaism in America and its sibling movements in other countries, (2) a branch of Judaism in the United Kingdom, and (3) the historical predecessor of the American movement that originated in 19th Century Germany. Contemporary Reform Judaism movements share most of the following principles: The autonomy of the individual in interpreting the Torah and Oral Law, as well as in deciding which observances one is thereby prescribed to follow, Applicabili ...

Including:

• Reform Judaism - 19th Century German Reform Judaism
• Reform Judaism - Origins
• Reform Judaism - View of Jewish Nationhood
• Reform Judaism - Changes in prayer services
• Reform Judaism - View of Zionism
• Reform Judaism - Teachings on the Oral Law
• Reform Judaism - National and universal elements
• Reform Judaism - Development of American Reform Judaism
• Reform Judaism - Pittsburgh Platform 1885
• Reform Judaism - Reform Jewish theology today
• Reform Judaism - Reform Judaism's position on Jewish law today
• Reform Judaism - Jewish identity and inter-religious marriages
• Reform Judaism - Union for Reform Judaism
• Reform Judaism - Timeline of Reform Judaism in the United States
• Reform Judaism - Reform Judaism in Britain
• Reform Judaism - History
• Reform Judaism - Reform Judaism in the UK today
• Reform Judaism - Liberal Judaism
• Reform Judaism - Reform and Progressive Rabbis in Britain
• Reform Judaism - Progressive Judaism in Israel
• Reform Judaism - History
• Reform Judaism - National Bodies
• Reform Judaism - Reference

Read more here: » Reform Judaism: Encyclopedia - Reform Judaism

Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of Judaism's rabbinic writing/s throughout history. However, the term often used as an exact cognate of the Hebrew term Sifrut Hazal (ספרות חז"ל; "Literature [of our] Sages, [of] blessed memory"), where the latter usually refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era. The latter, more specific, sense is how the term is normally used in medieval and modern rabbinic writing (where Hazal normally refers only to the sages of the ...

Including:

• Rabbinic literature - The oral law
• Rabbinic literature - The Midrash
• Rabbinic literature - Later works by category
• Rabbinic literature - Jewish law
• Rabbinic literature - Jewish thought and ethics
• Rabbinic literature - Liturgy
• Rabbinic literature - Later works by historical period
• Rabbinic literature - Works of the Geonim
• Rabbinic literature - Works of the Rishonim the early rabbinical commentators
• Rabbinic literature - Works of the Acharonim the later rabbinical commentators
• Rabbinic literature - Meforshim
• Rabbinic literature - Bibliography

Read more here: » Rabbinic literature: Encyclopedia - Rabbinic literature

Responsa (Latin: plural of responsum, "answers"; Hebrew: Sheelot U-teshuvot שאלות ותשובות "questions and answers") comprise the body of written decisions and rulings given by Poskim and Rabbis in response to questions addressed to them. The Responsa constitute a special class of rabbinic literature, to be distinguished from the commentaries - devoted to the exegesis of the Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud - and from the codes of law which delineate the rules for ordinary incidents of life. The responsa l ...

Read more here: » Responsa: Encyclopedia - Responsa

There are a number of basic Jewish principles of faith that one is expected to uphold in order to be said to be in consonance with the Jewish faith. However, unlike most Christian denominations, the Jewish community has never developed any one binding catechism. A number of formulations of Jewish beliefs have appeared, though there is some dispute over how many basic principles there are. Rabbi Joseph Albo, for instance, in Sefer Ha-Ikkarim counts three principles of faith, while Maimonides lists thirteen. While some lat ...

Including:

• Jewish principles of faith - Jewish principles of faith
• Jewish principles of faith - Monotheism
• Jewish principles of faith - God as Creator of the universe
• Jewish principles of faith - God is One
• Jewish principles of faith - God is all-powerful
• Jewish principles of faith - God is personal and cares about humanity
• Jewish principles of faith - Names of God
• Jewish principles of faith - The Nature of God
• Jewish principles of faith - To God alone may one offer prayer
• Jewish principles of faith - Scripture
• Jewish principles of faith - The words of the prophets are true
• Jewish principles of faith - The status of Moses
• Jewish principles of faith - The origin of the Torah
• Jewish principles of faith - Holy Books
• Jewish principles of faith - Reward and punishment
• Jewish principles of faith - Israel chosen for a purpose
• Jewish principles of faith - The messianic age
• Jewish principles of faith - The soul is pure at birth
• Jewish principles of faith - History and development
• Jewish principles of faith - No formal text canonized
• Jewish principles of faith - Gaining converts
• Jewish principles of faith - Is faith necessary?
• Jewish principles of faith - Belief in the Oral Law
• Jewish principles of faith - Belief in the Medieval era
• Jewish principles of faith - Maimonides' 13 principles of faith
• Jewish principles of faith - Principles of faith after Maimonides
• Jewish principles of faith - The Enlightenment
• Jewish principles of faith - Holocaust theology
• Jewish principles of faith - Dogma in Judaism

Read more here: » Jewish principles of faith: Encyclopedia - Jewish principles of faith

Posek (Hebrew פוסק; /poseq/ pl. Poskim) is the term in Jewish law for "legal decisor" - a rabbi who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive. This decision is known as a psak din or psak halakha (ruling of law; pl. piskei din, piskei halakha) or simply a "psak". In Hebrew, פסק is the root implying to stop or cease - here the posek brings the process of legal debate to finality. Piskei Din are ge ...

Including:

• Posek - List of recent Orthodox poskim

Read more here: » Posek: Encyclopedia - Posek

The Gemara (גמרא - from gamar: Hebrew "[to] complete"; Aramaic "[to] study") is a component of the Talmud, comprising the rabbinical commentaries and analysis on the Mishnah, undertaken in Babylon. During the centuries following Rabbi Judah's editing of the Mishna, it was studied exhaustively by generation after generation of rabbis. Eventually, some of these rabbis wrote down their discussions and commentaries on the Mishna's laws in a series of books known as the Talmud. The rabbis of Palestine edited their discuss ...

Including:

• Gemara - Gemara and Mishnah
• Gemara - The Sugya
• Gemara - Argumentation and debate
• Gemara - Prooftexts
• Gemara - Questions

Read more here: » Gemara: Encyclopedia - Gemara

Tannaim (תנאים) is the plural term for the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded the the Mishnah, from approx. 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim (also referred to as the Mishnaic period) came after the period of the Zugot ("pairs"), and before the period of the Amoraim; lasting about 130 years. The singular form of the word, tanna (תנא), is an Aramaic term for the Hebrew word shana, which also is the root-word of Mishnah. The verb shano (שנה) literally means "to repeat [what on ...

Including:

• Tannaim - The origin of the Tannaim
• Tannaim - Prominant Tannaim
• Tannaim - The Nesi'im
• Tannaim - The generations of the Tannaim
• Tannaim - Before the destruction of the Second Temple
• Tannaim - The generation of the destruction
• Tannaim - Between the destruction of the Temple to the revolt of Bar Kokhba
• Tannaim - The generation of the revolt of Bar Kokhba
• Tannaim - After the revolt
• Tannaim - Compilers of the Mishnah
• Tannaim - External link

Read more here: » Tannaim: Encyclopedia - Tannaim

Islam History of Islam Oneness of God Profession of Faith Prayer • Fasting Pilgrimage • Charity Muhammad Ali • Abu Bakr Companions of Muhammad Household of Muhammad Prophets of Islam Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia Jurisprudence Biographies of Muhammad Sunni • Shi'a • Sufi Art • Architecture Cities • Calendar Science • Philosophy Religious leaders Women in Islam Politi ...

Including:

• Hadith - Types of hadith
• Hadith - How are hadith collections viewed?
• Hadith - Value of hadith compared to the value of the Qur'an
• Hadith - Hadith accepted by Sunni Islam
• Hadith - Hadith accepted by Shi'a Islam
• Hadith - Hadith accepted by Ibadi Islam
• Hadith - How hadith were collected and evaluated
• Hadith - Western academic views of hadith
• Hadith - Bridges between Muslim and Western scholars

Read more here: » Hadith: Encyclopedia - Hadith

Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud ("The Oral Law") and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh ("Code of Jewish Law"). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary of the last 1,000+ years. Orthodox Judaism is characterized by: The belief that the Torah (i.e. the Pentateuch) and its pertaining laws are "Divine": Transmitted by God to Moses who then wrote it down, and cannot be ...

Including:

• Orthodox Judaism - Subgroups
• Orthodox Judaism - Origin and definition of the name Orthodox
• Orthodox Judaism - The development of Orthodoxy
• Orthodox Judaism - Beliefs
• Orthodox Judaism - Beliefs about Jewish law and tradition
• Orthodox Judaism - Orthodox organizations and groups

Read more here: » Orthodox Judaism: Encyclopedia - Orthodox Judaism

Masorah or Mesora, (Hebrew מסורה) refers either to the transmission of a (religious) tradition, or to the tradition itself. In a broad sense the term can refer to the entire chain of Jewish tradition: see Oral law in Judaism. In a narrow sense the term refers to the tradition of the Masoretes used in determining the precise text of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible): see Masoretic Text. Other possible meanings: "Masorti Judaism" is the name used for Conservative Judaism in the Stat

Read more here: » Masorah: Encyclopedia - Masorah

The Aggadah is part of Judaism's Oral law (תורה שבעל פה) - the traditions providing the authoritative interpretation of the Written Law. In this context, the widely held view in Rabbinic literature, is that the aggadah is in fact a medium for the transmission of fundamental teachings (Homiletic Sayings - מאמרים לימודיים) or for explanations of verses in the Tanakh ( Exegetic Sayings - מאמרים ביאוריים). In Rabbinic thought, therefore, much of the Aggadah is understood as containing a hidden, allegorical d ...

See also:

Aggadah, Aggadah - As part of the Jewish oral law, Aggadah - Literal-allegorical teachings, Aggadah - Interpretation of the Aggadah, Aggadah - In the Talmud and Midrash, Aggadah - Development of the Aggadah, Aggadah - Exegetic and Homiletic Aggadah, Aggadah - Aggadah compilations

Read more here: » Aggadah: Encyclopedia II - Aggadah - As part of the Jewish oral law

The Mishnah (Hebrew משנה, "repetition") is a major source of rabbinic Judaism's religious texts. It is the first recording of the oral law of the Jewish people, as championed by the Pharisees and is considered the first work of Rabbinic Judaism. The Mishnah was redacted around the year 200 CE by Judah haNasi ("Judah the Prince"). He is usually simply referred to as Rebbi ("Rabbi"). Nearly all of the Mishnah is written in Mishnaic Hebrew, except for a few verses, which are written in Aramaic. Rabbinic commentaries on ...

Including:

• Mishnah - Relation between the Hebrew Bible and the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The writing of the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The generations of the Mishnah sages
• Mishnah - Oral traditions and pronunciation
• Mishnah - Commentaries
• Mishnah - Historical study

Read more here: » Mishnah: Encyclopedia - Mishnah