The Tanakh

The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, is a collection of 24 books comprised of many different literary forms such as poems, stories, songs, laws and narratives. This sacred text not only provides a foundation for shared beliefs and practices, it also a shared history that shapes Jewish worship, culture, and identity. This lesson will address the composition of the Tanakh, significant elements in the Tanakh, and the role of the Tanakh in Judaism.

Objectives:

  • describe the composition of the Tenakh
  • recognize significant stories, events and teachings in the Tenakh
  • interpret the messages and meanings communicated in the Tenakh

Jewish tradition holds that a group of prophets, sages, and scribes known as the Great Assembly compiled and codified the Tanakh in 450 BCE, yet many scholars ahere to the documentary hypothesis that the books were written by different authors at different times between the tenth and second century BCE (two to three thousand years ago). Nonetheless, the collection is divided into three sections: Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketivim. ‘Tanakh’ is an acronym for the sections.

The Torah, also referred to as the Pentateuch, is the first five books of the Tanakh; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Genesis provides a series of stories such as the origin story of Adam and Eve, the flood narrative of Noah, and Abraham’s covenant. Exodus tells the story of Moses in Egypt. Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy outline Jewish law known as halakhah. Jewish law includes 613 commandments given by Yahweh in the Torah, as well as rules and practices elaborated by scholars and custom. Jewish law covers matters such as prayer and ritual, diet, rules regulating personal status (marriage, divorce, birth, death, inheritance, etc.), and observance of holidays (like Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement; and Passover, the feast celebrating the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt).

Nevi’im means ‘prophets’ in Hebrew, and prophets are believed to have spoken directly to early Jews for Yahweh. Ketuvim, means ‘writings,’ and it includes songs, prayers and narratives such as the books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The Ketuvim provides frameworks for life, human relationships, and the relationship people people and Yahweh.

Commentaries, Interpretations and Teachings

Image result for midrash talmud

The rabbinic movement came after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem 70 CE and the end of priestly Pharisees. By the second century, rabbi was an official title for an expert on the interpretation of the Torah. The midrash is a rabbinic commentary or interpretation of the Tenakh. The talmud is a collected commentary on the Torah completed in the fifth-century C.E.). It is comprised of two parts; the Mishnah and the Gemara. Synagogue, comes from the Greek word ‘to gather,’ and synagogues became central for congregational worship and teaching after the destruction of the Temple and into today. Contemporary critics of the midrash describe the commentary as androcentric, or male-centered, and that the rabbinic movement excluded women from hierarchies of achievement, significant rituals and ceremonies, and the performance of mitzvot (commandments, plural of mitzvah.) At the same time, non-rabbinic evidence such as inscriptions on temples, show that some women did serve in leadership positions, particularly during the Greco-Roman Diaspora. Different perspectives on the role of women in rabbinic hierarchies and synagogues contributes to diversity among Jewish communities today.

Stories as Sacred History and Life

The Tanakh provides a biblical narrative as a sacred history for the people of Israel, or Israelites, who are believed to be the ancestors of modern Jews. The majority of Jewish customs, festivals, holidays, and rituals are derived from the Tanakh and the laws are considered a theological message on how to live a meaningful life.

To learn more about Jewish rituals and holidays, explore the Youtube series Judaism 101: holidays, rituals and traditions.

The Role of the Covenants

A central theme in the Tanakh is the relationship between Israelites and Yahweh, which is known as the covenant, or brit in Hebrew which can be translated as ‘treaty,’ ‘alliance,’ or ‘pact.’ There are several covenants in the Tanakh between Yahweh and the Israelites, from the first covenant in the flood narrative in Genesis when Yahweh promises Noah to never again flood the world to Abraham’s covenant to show perfect obedience in exchange for the land of Canaan, and the covenant between Israelites and Yahweh transmitted through Moses known as the ‘Ten Commandments’ or Decalogue.

To learn more about covenants, watch the video below.

Dietary Laws

Through the story of Aaron, brother of Moses, Leviticus and Deuteronomy stipulate Jewish dietary laws, or kashrut, that includes guidelines such as foods that are unacceptable to eat, types of foods than cannot be eaten together in the same meal, how to prepare food (including the slaughter of animals), etc. Food is considered kosher if it adheres to Jewish laws. The video below describes the story of Aaron and kushrat in a catchy tune.

The Name of God

The covenant of the ten commandments establishes the foundation of monotheism, the worship of one god, in Judaism. The name of the Jewish god is represented by four consonants known as the Tetragrammaton, YHWH and conventionally written as Yahweh. In many cases, the name is considered too sacred to pronounce as the Decalogue forbids the use of god’s name in vain. Therefore, ‘Adonai’ (Lord), ‘haShem’ (the Name), or ‘he shall not be named’ serve as substitutes. English translations normally use Lord or God, with capitalization denoting name and monotheism.

Kings and Messiahs

Many narratives in the Tanakh detail trials and tribulations of central characters enduring oppression, persecution, suffering and doubt as well as noble and wise kings who expand Jewish territory and build impressive temples. The story of King Solomon (described in the Books of Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and 1 Kings) describes a wise warrior king who builds the first temple in Jerusalem dedicated to Yahweh, yet remains flawed through acts such as adultery and idol-worship that are forbidden by the Decalogue. Solomon’s father David, whose story is also recounted in the Book of Samuel, is the famous shepherd boy who kills the giant, Goliath, with his slingshot and goes on to become the first Jewish king. During his inauguration ritual, David is anointed with oil. The Hebrew term, maschiach, from which the English term messiah is derived as is the Greek term ‘Christos’ (hence ‘Christ’) which means ‘anointed.’

This one-hour documentary explores the archaeology of the Kingdom of David and Solomon.

The Septuagint

Around 200 BCE the Tanakh was translated into Greek to serve the Greek-speaking Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt. This translation is referred to as the Septuagint, Latin for ’70’, because it is believed the 70-72 sages worked independently yet produced the exact same text thereby attesting to their work as divinely sanctioned.

Dead Sea Scrolls

The Essenes, a monastic community of priests, are considered the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of texts produced between the second and first centuries BCE tht include the earliest manuscripts of the entire Hebrew Bible (some in fragments)except for the Book of Esther. Visit the Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library to learn more.

The Kabbalah

Kabbalah, the Hebrew term ‘to receive,’ dates to the 12th century and centers on a Jewish mystical tradition of prophesies and visions of the divine common to accounts detailed in the Book of Ezekiel. The tradition developed in new ways during the Middle Ages with influence with Islamic Sufism, and included meditation and ecstatic prayer. The most authoritative Kabbalah text is a multi-text commentary on the Five Books of Moses called the Zohar (‘splendor’ or ‘radiance’). To learn more, watch the video below.

Interpreting Messages and Meanings in the Tenakh

This lesson addressed the composition of the Tenakh, significant elements in the Tenakh, and the role of the Tenakh in Judaism. The ancient text not only documents the history of ancient Judaism, literature within the Tanakh also provides a framework for contemporary Jewish beliefs, practices, and everyday living. Although globalization and diaspora have contributed to the diversification of distinctly different Jewish communities throughout history and around the world, the Tenakh is the text that binds the Jewish people together.

Readings and Resources:

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For discussion: Select one of the educational videos from BimBam.com presenting a story or ritual in the Tanakh and research one additional scholarly article about the story, law or ritual. Using the theoretical frameworks presented in the Introductory module in this course, interpret the messages and meanings conveyed by the story, law or ritual you selected. Post the video in discussion with your interpretation using the format below;

  1. Introduction: Introduce the ritual or story (not the video) and make a declarative thesis statement using a specific theoretical perspective (Be sure to cite where the ritual or story is located in the Tanakh.)
  2. Body: Interpret the ritual or story – what are the messages and meanings? What role does it play and why?
  3. Conclusion: Tie your thesis back to what was presented in the body.
  4. References: cite the additional article in a proper format

(min 500 words) Be prepared to discuss the story, law or ritual in class.

When you complete the discussion, move on to the Global Judaism lesson.