The Torah and Talmud vs the Old Testament

The Torah and the Bible are typically viewed as the same book. But are they? What are the differences? Why do we use two different names? If Jews and Christians are both called People of the Book, and both worship the same God, why do we have two different books?

What is the Torah?

The Torah is one part of the “bible” for the Jewish people. This part covers the history of the Jewish people. It also includes the Law. The Torah also includes teachings on how the Jewish people are to worship God and how to live their lives. The “Hebrew Bible”, or Tanak, consists of three parts. The Torah, the Ketuviym (the Writings) and the Navi’im (the Prophets.)

The Torah includes the five books that are written by Moses, as well as the oral traditions in the Talmud and the Midrash. These books are known to us as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In the Torah they have different names: The Bereshiyt (In the Beginning), Shemot (Names), Vayiqra (And He Called), Bemidbar (In the Wilderness), and Devariym (Words.)

What is the Old Testament?

The Old Testament is the first of the two parts to the Christian Bible. The Old Testament includes the five Books of Moses plus 41 other books. The Christian Old Testamnet includes books that the Jewish people include in the Tanak. The order of the books in the Tanak are slightly different than in the Old Testament. But the content within is the same.

The Old Testament is ultimately the story of God revealing Himself to the Jewish people in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Christians know the Messiah to be Jesus Christ, as He is revealed in the New Testament.

Who Wrote the Torah?

The Torah is written in Hebrew only. The entire Torah was given to Moses while on Mount Sinai. Moses alone is the author of the Torah. The only exception to this are the very last eight verses of Deuteronomy, where Joshua wrote a description of the death and burial of Moses.

Who Wrote the Old Testament?

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. There were many authors of the Old Testament. In spite of the fact that there was multiple authors spanning many many years and regions – the consistency is perfect. This is because the Old Testament is a part of the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

When was the Torah Written?

There is a lot of debate as to when the Torah was written. Many scholars say that it was written around 450 BC during the Babylonian Captivity. However, most Orthodox Jews and conservative Christians agree that it was written around 1500 BC.

When was the Old Testament Written?

Moses wrote the first five books around 1500 BC. Over the next THOUSAND years the rest of the Old Testament would be compiled by its various authors. The Bible self attests that it is the very word of God. The consistency remains the same regardless of how long it took to compile.

Misconceptions and Differences

The Torah is unique in that it is handwritten on a single scroll. It is only read by a Rabbi and only during a ceremonial reading at very specific times of the year. The Bible is a book that is printed. Christians often own multiple copies and are encouraged to read it every day.

Many people assume that the Torah is completely different than the Old Testament. And while they are two different things – the Torah in its entirety is found within the Old Testament.

What is the Talmud?

The Jewish belief is that Moses received the Torah as a written text alongside a commentary: the Talmud. The Talmud is considered the oral traditions that coincide with the Torah. It is a depiction of the primary codification of the Jewish decrees. It explains the written texts of the Torah so that people know how to apply it to their lives. The Talmud and the Torah are mistakenly used interchangeably by non-Jewish people. These are two of the most important words in all of Jewish history. Though they are both religious manuscripts, they are two totally different things.

When was the Talmud written?

Though the Jews consider this to be an oral commentary given from God. It was compiled by many Rabbi’s over a long period of time. The Mishnah was written down for the first time by Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi, or Rabbi Judah the Prince. This occurred just after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 BC.

What does the Talmud consist of?

The Talmud is simply the oral traditions of the Torah. There are two Talmuds: The Babylonian Talmud (the most widely used) and the Jerusalem Talmud. There were other commentaries added called Gemara. All of these commentaries put together is called the Mishnah.

by Ashley Evans at biblereasons.com on December 28, 2023, and January 17, 2024

What is the Hebrew Word for God?

Most of us when we hear the word “God” we don’t necessarily question it. We are used to saying God or Lord, in church especially. We rarely stop to think… is “God” His English name? But then, what is the Hebrew word for God? And does He have a name? Some of us are familiar with names like Jehovah / Yahweh or even Adonai or Elohim. But do we know how they are different and what they mean?

To understand the Hebrew word for God, and yes, the Hebrew names of God in the Bible, we need a mini Hebrew lesson! Let’s start with the word for “name” itself – which in Hebrew is shem. In Hebrew thought, a shem is not just a combination of sounds, or an identifier, but it is a reputation. It is meant to convey the essence and characteristics of the person or thing being identified.

This concept is present in common English language as, reputation being considered a “good name” or “making a name for oneself”.

So, in Exodus 3:13-22, when Moses asked God what his name was, he was not asking “What should I call you by?”. Rather, Moses is asking, “Who are you, what are you like?”

The word for “God” in Hebrew is Elohim, which appears in the Biblical text quite often. However, it appears both as a common noun (divinity, ancestral spirit, ghost), and as the proper noun – name for the one and only God.

Whether Elohim serves as a common or proper noun, depends completely on the context. Thus, it makes sense when a pastor or a rabbi says “little ‘g’ gods” to indicate deities that are not the one true God of Israel. These are “gods” in the way that Zeus, Venus, or Hades are considered “gods”.

But another curious thing about the word Elohim is that it is in a masculine plural form. Meanwhile, in the singular tense it appears feminine (eloha).

According to Maimonides (a Jewish scholar from the Middle Ages), the word emphasizes God’s power, might, creativity, and characteristics of justice and leadership. Variations include El, Eloha, Elohai (my God) and Elohaynu (our God).

You may recognize that these variations made their way into people’s names. Take for example the name Samu-el – which means “heard by God”. Or the one that you are likely very familiar with, Emmanuel, which could be spelled Immanu-El – meaning, God with us.

by the Staff of firmisrael.org on July 18, 2022

How do Judaism and Christianity Differ?

Christianity began as a movement within Second Temple Judaism, but the two religions gradually diverged over the first few centuries of the Christian Era. Today, differences of opinion vary between denominations in both religions, but the most important distinction is Christian acceptance and Jewish non-acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition. Early Christianity distinguished itself by determining that observance of halakha (Jewish law) was not necessary for non-Jewish converts to Christianity (See Pauline Christianity). Another major difference is the two religions' conceptions of God. The Christian God consists of three persons of one essence (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), with the doctrine of the incarnation of the Son in Jesus being of special importance. Judaism emphasizes the Oneness of God and rejects the Christian concept of God in human form. While Christianity recognizes the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament by Christians) as part of its scriptural canon, Judaism does not recognize the Christian New Testament.

from Wikipedia