Key Difference – Talmud vs Torah
Talmud and Torah are two distinct yet related terms in Judaism. The key difference between them can be understood as follows:
- Talmud refers to the commentary made by rabbis for several centuries upon the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah. It is also the oral component of Torah in written form.
- Torah is the central part of the Jewish Bible and consists of five books called the Five Books of Moses. It contains the instructions given by God to Moses and includes 613 commandments, the most important being the Ten Commandments.
What is Talmud?
Talmud is a term that refers to the commentary made by rabbis for several centuries upon the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah. It also refers to the oral component of Torah that is in the written form called Talmud. In a sense, Talmud is the meaning of the scriptures as to how to interpret and apply them in life. Oral Torah was given to Moses by God, and Moses spread the word of God among others. Oral Torah remained oral for many centuries but was finally written and compiled into textual form in the 2nd century, called Mishnah. There was another compilation in the 5th century, called Gemara. Together, the two documents are referred to as Talmud. There is another dichotomy of Talmud, where there are the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is more comprehensive and is typically what is meant when only the word “Talmud” is used by people.
What is Torah?
Torah is the part of the Jewish Bible that has been used by Jews for centuries. It is the central part of the Jewish Bible and consists of five books called the Five Books of Moses. It was after their mass exodus from Egypt that God chose Moses to give him divine knowledge in the form of Torah. Moses received sacred knowledge on Mount Sinai for 50 days, and this body of knowledge makes up all that the Jews need to live according to the commandments of God. There are 613 commandments in Torah, the most important ones being the Ten Commandments. While the body of knowledge was imparted in oral form, the Torah is also in written form, written in Hebrew. Torah can mean different things at different times, and its meaning can depend upon the context as well as the speaker. Sometimes, Torah is used to mean the entire Hebrew Bible, also called Tanakh. The word is made up of three consonants T (stands for Torah), N (stands for Nevi’im or the Jewish Prophets), and K (stands for Ketuvim or the sacred texts of the Jews). Torah is a word that encapsulates the instructions given by God to Moses.
What is the Difference Between Talmud and Torah?
Definitions of Talmud and Torah:
Talmud: Talmud is a term that refers to the commentary that was made by rabbis for several centuries upon the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah.
Torah: Torah can mean different things at different times but, in general, it refers to the part of the Hebrew Bible that is central to Judaism.
Characteristics of Talmud and Torah:
Components:
Talmud: The oral component of Torah is known as Talmud.
Torah: It consists of five books called the Five Books of Moses.
