2007-08-01 02:42:53 · 8 answers · asked by That Guy Drew 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
the confirmed atheist, you're right. the torah is also called the pentateuch or the law of moses by most christians, and yes, it is a part of the tanach/ old testament.
2007-08-01 03:26:21 · update #1
Ahh, its probably us Jews fault (like everything else! LOL)
Ok, I say that in jest, but I mean it as well. A lot of Jews use the phrase "Torah" very loosely, and sometimes to refer to the whole of Shas (An abbreviation Shishei Sidrei Mishnah- the Six orders of the mishnah, and used as a short hand for the whole of the halachah). So we may talk about being Torah observant- while meaning observing the whole of shas (both the written and oral Torah). And that is where the confusion sets in- people see Torah, and they think about the WRITTEN Torah of the Chamishei Sifrei Moshe (Five Books of Moses- often abbreviated to Chumash), but to an Orthodox Jew Torah is both the Chumash and Shas- noth were given by God to Moses on Mt Sinai, and both are equally binding.
So now take this confusion over exactly what the Torah is- and combine it with the fact that formost non-Jews, the phrase Tanach is unknown- they just know about the "Old testament" and that the Jewish holy book is the Torah. So now, the Torah becomes juxtaposed to the "Old Testament" and the Torah becomes juxstaposed to the Tanach. Thing is, that by the loose way many Orthodox Jews use the phrase Torah- it isn't even that inaccurate since Nevi'im and Ketuvim, while not sources for halachah are sources for supporting halachah and for providing proof of what the halachah means and how to follow it- so they end up being referred to as being part of shas- and thus Torah...
So yeah, us Jews are to blame- w eknow what we are talking about (I can sit and discuss "Torah" with a friend- while we are actually discussing Psalms or Kings...) and both if us know the context in which the word is being used and how it is meant- but to an outsider- we have suddenly included the rest of the Tanach into the Torah!
2007-08-01 03:44:32 · answer #1 · answered by allonyoav 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
They usually don't know what the Tanakh is....and Moses was given the Torah on Mount Sinai, not the Tanakh...coupled with the fact that when an Orthodox Jew says Torah they usually mean the whole Tanakh, like poster above me said (which I am guilty of)...it makes for a very confusing set of events...
2007-08-01 10:50:07 · answer #2 · answered by LadySuri 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it really depends on context.
in its narrowest sense, Torah means the 5 books of Moses.
in its broadest sense it could mean anything written related to Judiasm.
Tanach is considerd thewritten law while the mishmah and talmud (and everything after) are considered the oral law.
2007-08-02 09:08:32 · answer #3 · answered by lenmac71 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Jews don't try to evangelize like the Christians and Muslims do so the world remains ignorant to their particular brand of fantasy.
2007-08-01 09:47:52 · answer #4 · answered by UpChuck 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not many people know much about Judaism, at least not here in the States.
2007-08-01 09:45:56 · answer #5 · answered by N 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Both start with T.
2007-08-01 09:45:37 · answer #6 · answered by americanhero_aa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I mean, they are 1/3rd correct. Cut them some slack.
2007-08-01 09:46:03 · answer #7 · answered by JND 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
From my understanding, the Torah is contained within the Tanakh. If I'm wrong, please clarify it for me.
2007-08-01 09:51:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋