COMPONENTS OF JEWISH RELIGIOUS LAW SYSTEM

Blue = Major Texts

Red = Interpretations

Black = Scholars

1.      Torah – Tanak – Law of Moses

a.      The Old Testament in Christian terminology

b.      Torah originally referred only to the Pentateuch, but later by the time of Jesus and Paul was used for the whole Mosaic system

2.      Haggadah

a.      Interpretation of Torah

b.      ca 141 BC – AD 70

c.      Done by “Zugoth” Scribes who worked in pairs – “Zugoth” = pairs

d.      Hillel and Shammai the 5th and last pair of Zugoth

3.      Hallakah

a.      Interpretation of “community” laws, non-Tanak

b.      Ca 141 BC – AD 70

c.      “Zugoth” Scribal collection, interpretation, and application

4.      Sopherim

a.      The “Zugoth” Scribes were called Sopherim

b.      They worked in pairs

c.      ca 141 BC – AD 70

d.      It was they who interpreted Haggadah and Hallakah

5.      Tannaim

a.      Rabbis and Teachers

b.      ca AD 70 – AD 200

c.      Taught by Repetition and Memorization

d.      Heirs of the Pharisees and Pharisaic Traditions

e.      Produced Midrash and the Mishna

6.      Midrash

a.      Midrash can refer to the style of interpreting a passage of Scripture

b.      Midrash finds new application and meaning for a text

c.      Midrash can refer to a collection of Midrashic interpretations

d.      Midrash can refer to a text that has been interpreted in a particular manner

7.      Mishna

a.      A collection of Jewish teachings on the legal system

b.      ca AD 220

c.      6 Orders/Sedarim/Zeraim

d.      63 Tractates

8.      Amoraim

a.      “Speakers” or Teachers of the law

b.      Interpreted the Mishna and Midrash

c.      Included: Haggadah (Legal interpretation, Midrash Interp.), Tosephta (Hallakoth, Eschatological, Anti-Christian), and Baraita (Hallakoth, Influenced by Roman Law)

9.      Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds Produced by Amoraim in AD 400 and AD 550 from Mishna, Midrash, and Torah interpretation.

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