Jewish law
Quick Summary
Jewish law, known as Halakhah, encompasses all the laws and ordinances that have guided Jewish religious observance and daily life since biblical times. It is distinct from the written Torah but is believed to stem from oral traditions originating from the revelation on Mount Sinai.1
Halakhah was organized through compilations like the Mishna and the Talmud, which contain extensive interpretations and discussions of Jewish law. Over centuries, scholars like Moses Maimonides further codified these laws in response to changing times. While some branches of Judaism adapt Halakhah to modern life, others may disregard it. The Talmud itself contains 613 mitzvahs, or commandments, which are considered divine obligations.12
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…times and seasons of the Jewish Law, new converts broke with the custom because they regarded it as no longer needful or necessary. St. Paul, himself a dutiful observant of the Law, considered the keeping of holy days a matter of indifference, provided the devotion be “in honor of the…
Read More…times and seasons of the Jewish Law, new converts broke with the custom because they regarded it as no longer needful or necessary. St. Paul, himself a dutiful observant of the Law, considered the keeping of holy days a matter of indifference, provided the devotion be “in honor of the…
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JesusThe relation of Jesus’ teaching to the Jewish lawJewish law is the focus of many passages in the Gospels. According to one set, especially prominent in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus admonished his followers to observe the law unwaveringly (Matthew 5:17–48). According to another set, he did not adhere strictly…
Read MoreJewish law is the focus of many passages in the Gospels. According to one set, especially prominent in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus admonished his followers to observe the law unwaveringly (Matthew 5:17–48). According to another set, he did not adhere strictly…
Read More