Tenakh and Talmud

Question 1

What is Tenakh?

Answer 1

Tenakh = the Hebrew Bible

It consists of three parts: Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.

Question 2

What does Torah refer to?

Answer 2

Torah = Five books of Moses. Contains the mitzvot.

Mitzvot refers to the commandments.

Question 3

What is Nevi’im?

Answer 3

Nevi’im = History of the Israelites and the spread of Judaism after Moses died. Teachings of the prophets.

Question 4

What is Ketuvim?

Answer 4

Ketuvim = Poetry, stories and advice about how Jews should behave and glorify God.

Question 5

What is the Orthodox view of the Tenakh?

Answer 5

Orthodox = word of God.

Question 6

What is the Reform view of the Tenakh?

Answer 6

Reform = inspired human creation.

Question 7

Where is the Tenakh read?

Answer 7

Read in synagogue and festivals.

Question 8

What does the Tenakh teach?

Answer 8

Teaches about how to worship and contains the mitzvot.

Question 9

What is the Talmud?

Answer 9

Talmud = Oral Law - expansion on Tenakh.

Question 10

When was the oral tradition of the Talmud written down?

Answer 10

Written down 1,000 years later.

Question 11

What do Reform Jews believe about the Talmud?

Answer 11

Reform Jews believe that it is a human creation.

Question 12

What does the Talmud contain?

Answer 12

It contains the teachings and opinions of early Rabbis on topics such as laws and ethics.

Question 13

What is the importance of the Talmud?

Answer 13

Source of Jewish legal teaching and decisions.

Question 14

How does the Talmud relate to the mitzvot?

Answer 14

Expands on mitzvot found in the Torah.

Question 15

What does ‘lenakh and lalmud’ refer to?

Answer 15

Food laws

Question 16

What is the term for acceptable food in these laws?

Answer 16

Kosher

Question 17

What is the term for forbidden kosher food?

Answer 17

Treifah

Question 18

What is prohibited in cooking or eating regarding meat and dairy?

Answer 18

They cannot be mixed, not even in preparation time.

Question 19

What are the requirements for animals to be considered kosher?

Answer 19

Animals must have cloven hooves and chew their cud. No illnesses prior to death.

Question 20

What are the requirements for fish to be considered kosher?

Answer 20

Fish must have fins and scales. No shells.

Question 21

How must meat be prepared to be considered kosher?

Answer 21

It must be killed in the correct way and blood drained.

Question 22

How important is Kashrut to Orthodox Jews?

Answer 22

Very important

Question 23

How important is Kashrut to Reform Jews?

Answer 23

Less important

Question 24

Where is Kashrut found?

Answer 24

In the Torah

Question 25

What is a challenge regarding kosher food?

Answer 25

It is difficult to find kosher food.

Question 26

What does following Kashrut elevate?

Answer 26

It elevates the simple act of eating into a religious ritual.

Question 27

What is a reason for following Kashrut?

Answer 27

To show dedication and discipline.

Question 28

Are all mitzvot relevant in modern life?

Answer 28

Not all of the mitzvot are relevant in modern life.

Question 29

What does Exodus 23 say about cooking?

Answer 29

"Do not boil a kid in its mothers' milk."

Question 30

What dietary laws are mentioned in Deuteronomy 14?

Answer 30

"You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud... Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales."

Question 31

What does Leviticus 17 state about blood?

Answer 31

"You shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood."

Question 32

What is said about the study of the Torah in the Talmud?

Answer 32

"Excellent is the study of the Torah... [because it] keeps sin out of one's mind." ## Footnote (Perkei Avot, Talmud)