Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Oral Torah - part 2
back to part 1
So what is the Oral Torah? How does one begin to understand it?
God gave Israel two Torahs - one written, laying out the teachings, and one oral, giving instruction on its application. The Mishnah (Oral Torah as now written down) is split into sections, which are in turn divided into tractates. These address and expound, in a topical fashion, how to live out the Torah. Though many Christians run away from the word Torah (teachings, law), with a deeper study of scripture one might find themselves seeing the Torah as grace, a schoolmaster, a place where we define sin, and a place where we learn of the character and face of our God.
If you include all the Rabbinical discussion concerning the Torah, then we would have something like the following method of study:
We begin with study of the both written Torah and Oral Torah (Mishnah), which were always meant to be side by side. Once a person has a good mastery of knowledge in both Torah, it is time to integrate the Tosefta into your studies. The Tosefta is made up of further rulings as well as Rabbinical discussion, the name meaning "things added" or "supplement". It's not what most people are used to for a commentary on scripture. In the Tosefta, many of the esteemed Rabbis through the ages give their understanding of the scripture, and many of them have different view points seemingly due to their differing temperaments. In a large way, it is like having a discussion with thousands of years worth of Rabbis, leaving you to form your own understanding in the end. After a firm footing, the Tosefta would be followed in study by the Baraita (extraneous or outside teachings), which are considered less credible. Lastly, we have the Gamarah, which is Rabbinical discussion on the Oral Torah, in a simple format accompanying the Mishnah.
The Talmud is made up of both the Mishnah (Oral Torah) and the Gamarah. There are two Talmud, both with slightly different Gamara, the Babylonian and the Palestinian/Jerusalem (Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi). The Oral Torah was transcribed into the Mishnah during the reworking of Judaism around 200CE, at the same time that the emphasis of Judaism was placed on study - something I will probably expound upon later.
There is much to be learned from "the studies" (Talmud), and I would expect that God never intended the Church to stray so far away from the Jews as they have since the 1st century, especially if they are to properly understand the words and actions of Jesus. He said that he came "not to destroy the Torah, but to fulfill it", which is a Hebrew idiom for not coming to misinterpret Torah, rather coming to properly interpret the Torah, to place it on firmer footing. His entire world, his understanding, his actions, his words, and his upbringing were deeply rooted in Torah, both the written and the Oral. Throwing these studies out has left us open to a false concept of whom Messiah Jesus was and is, as well as a myriad of differing interpretations on how to live out God's teachings. Imagine how much understanding and depth could be gained by adopting these studies back into our walk with God.
More later...
