RABBINIC JUDAISM
&
ORAL LAW

Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet pg 58
"The entire Torah was given to main two parts [torah shebeektav] Written Torah, which God dictated
word for word to Moses and commanded him to commit to writing, and [torah shebal peh] the Oral Torah,
which God transmitted to Moses orally and which was subsequently passed on from teacher to pupil,
generation after generation."

Takanot - New enacted religious laws added to the Written Torah with the
authority of the “Oral Torah.” Scripture is not consulted as a proof text for these
laws.

Ma'asim - Rabbinic precedents or “works” that lead to the establishing of new
laws that are binding on all Israel, whether in the land or in exile. (See the Islamic
Law ofHad it: If Mohammed did something, Muslims are obligated to do it too,
even if it is not written in the Qur’an.)

examples of halachot:
It says three times, "which you (all the people) will proclaim them" (otam) but read it
"you yourselves (atem-rabbis) will proclaim." -Rashi on Rosh HaShanah 25a.
R Akiva (2nd Century): The texts says, 'you,' 'you,' 'you,' three times (includes Leviticus
23:1-4), to indicate that 'you' (rabbis) [may fix the festivals] even if you err inadvertently,
'you,' (rabbis) even if you err deliberately, 'you,' (rabbis) even if you are misled. (Rosh
HaShanah 25a)

such and such, or that the reasoning of a certain sage is correct, that prophet must be
executed...as it is written, 'it is not in heaven' (Deut. 30:12). Thus God did not permit us
to learn from the prophets, only from the Rabbis who are men of logic and reason.

���A law against “carrying” on Shabbat (John 5:8-10)
���A law requiring fasting twice a week—Monday and Thursday (Luke 18)
���A law that specific prayers be recited over certain kinds of foods (Matt. 14:19)
���A decree against handling and touching things prohibited for use on Shabbat and holy

Ma’aseh (plural Ma’asim): Any action or deed of a Rabbi or Sage (a precedent) that says
to look to the Rabbis if you want to know a standard for “proper Jewish behavior.”
See Shabbat 21a of the Talmud:
“Precedent is a Teacher”

• A rule orw ork that allows a Jew to descend from a ship by a ramp built by a
Gentile on Shabbat because Rabban Gamaliel did so with the elders, so it must be
okay according to the “oral law.”
• A rule orw ork that requires one to say the daily Shma before midnight. However,
in cases of delay, one has until dawn to discharge his obligation based on the
authority of Rabbi Shimon who was believed to be a scholar who certainly knew
what the “oral law” requires.
• A rule orw ork forbidding one to turn on a light switch on Shabbat because the
Chofetz Chaim (Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen Kagan (1838-1933) did not turn on a
light switch on Shabbat, so it must be what the “oral law” requires.

• Hatafat Dam Brit (drawing of blood)
• Peri'ah (peeling back of the corona)
• Metzitzah (sucking of the wound)

"It [the Mishnah] purports to describe how things are. But it tells us more about a fantasy than about the real palpable world, the world concretely known to the people who wrote about it."3

Berakot 56b
If one sees an ass in a dream, he may hope forsalvation, as it says,
Behold thy king cometh unto thee; he is triumphant and victorious,
lowly and riding upon an ass.(44)

If one sees a choice vine, he may look forward to seeing the Messiah,
since it says, Binding his foal unto the vine and his ass's colt unto the
choice vine.(18)

ears as the Arabs do now, to teach orally by word of mouth (and ear).
Here the accusative of the thing (the word) is retained in the passive like
withdi dask ō, to teach (Robertson,Grammar, p. 485).