RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

THE MEANS
The initial letters of these three section headings (T, N, K,) form the
word Tanakh. This is the name Jewish people give to the Hebrew Bible.
All of the Tanakh is written in Hebrew apart from parts of the books of
Daniel and Ezra, which are written in Aramaic.
1. The Torah
Jews regard the Five Books of Moses as the holiest part of the Bible or
the written Torah. Jews believe that Moses wrote down everything God
had taught him in these five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
and Deuteronomy.
The Five Books of Moses start with the story of Creation and the early
history of mankind, including that of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the
ancestors of the Jewish people. They also describe how after becoming
slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were freed by God under the leadership of
Moses who received the Torah on Mount Sinai. In addition to the
history of the children of Israel up till their entry into Canaan (roughly
present-day Israel), the Five Books of Moses contain religious, civil and
criminal law, and even instructions related to public health. They also
contain a description of the construction of the Tabernacle which
remained the focal point of religious service until the temple was built
around five hundred years later.
The stories of their forefathers and of their ancestry tell Jews who they
are; the laws and moral teachings tell Jews how to live and fulfil God’s
will. For centuries Jews have read the Torah, studied it and scholars
have written commentaries to explain it. Jews have lived by the laws of
the Torah and, in times of persecution, have died for them.
The Torah scrolls contain the Five Books of Moses only. They are kept in
the synagogue in the ark or ‘aron kodesh’ (meaning the Holy Ark). Each
scroll is handwritten. The reader reads it with a ‘yad’, a pointer, so as
not to damage it. Orthodox Judaism allows any male who can, to read
from the scroll. Its reading is not restricted to a rabbi or cantor. Reform
Judaism additionally allows females to read from the Torah scroll.
2. Nevi’im (Prophets)
The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings describe the history of
the Israelites from the death of Moses. Written as history, their main
purpose is to teach religion, and in particular, to relate what happens to
the Israelites as a consequence of how they have behaved towards God.
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RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H)
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