The Written and Oral Torah: A Comprehensive Introduction

by Cardozo

• ISBN13: 9780765759894
• ISBN10: 0765759896
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-03-01
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc

Summary

In The Written and Oral Torah: A Comprehensive Introduction, Rabbi Nathan T. Lopes Cardozo offers those interested in Jewish tradition an explanation of and basic insight into Judaism's classical sources. Containing a diverse selection of material culled from the Talmud and from the writings of many of Judaism's most gifted sages, this extensive volume will be a valuable resource for novice students as well as for those with some background in Torah study.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
THE WRITTEN TORAH	1	(38)
The Torah	1	(4)
Torah min HaShamayim--Revelation	5	(10)
The Eternal Nature of the Torah	15	(3)
The Masorah	18	(6)
Tikkun Soferim	24	(2)
Ittur Soferim	26	(1)
The Text and Its Kabbalistic Meaning	27	(7)
The Hebrew Language	34	(5)
THE MITZVOT	39	(26)
Mitzvot	39	(1)
The Noachide Laws	39	(7)
The Decalogue	46	(6)
The 613 Mitzvot	52	(6)
Other Classifications of the Mitzvot	58	(7)
THE ORALLY TRANSMITTED TORAH	65	(34)
The Necessity for the Oral Tradition	65	(5)
The Nature of the Orally Transmitted Torah	70	(4)
The Authority of the Sages and Their Intellect	74	(4)
The Authenticity of the Orally Transmitted Torah	78	(15)
The Prohibition Against Recording the Orally Transmitted Torah	93	(6)
THE CATEGORIES OF THE ORALLY TRANSMITTED TORAH	99	(24)
Introduction	99	(1)
Explanations Received and Transmitted by Moshe	100	(1)
Halachah LeMoshe MiSinai	101	(3)
Laws Subject to Debate	104	(10)
Gezeroth--Protective Measures to Preserve the Torah	114	(2)
Takkanot and Minhagim	116	(2)
Conflicts of Opinion and Their Philosophical Value	118	(5)
THE RULES OF INTERPRETATION	123	(44)
Sevarah	123	(8)
Drash	131	(4)
Other Rules of Interpretation	135	(2)
Rabbi Yishmael's Hermeneutic Rules (with Examples)	137	(26)
The Rules of Rabbi Akiva (with Examples)	163	(4)
AGGADAH	167	(26)
Aggadah and Halachah	167	(10)
The Thirty-two Rules of Aggadah	177	(16)
ADDENDUM	193	(78)
Halachic Midrashim	193	(1)
Mishnah	194	(2)
Beraita and Tosefta	196	(5)
Bible Criticism and Its Counter-Arguments	201	(32)
Short Index of the Written Torah	233	(12)
Index of the Mishnah	245	(18)
Index of Maimonides' Code of Jewish Law (Mishneh Torah)	263	(8)
Index	271